Transformers: Edge Of Oblivion Pt I & Pt II
by KiloWhiskeyOscar
Summary: Pt I: A Transformer from the future named Windblade travels back in time to prevent the pro-Human group MECH from unleashing Flamewar and the Chimeras. Pt II: A vengeful new enemy levels Autobot City before setting its sights on Cybertron, while an ancient enemy returns to take hold of one of the Autobot's own.
1. Prologue - This Desolate Future

Disclaimer: Here we go again; another Transformers story from yours truly. This time around, (get it, time?) I'm integrating time travel into the mix. So, expect to see some references from _The Terminator_ , _Terminator 2: Judgment Day_ and _X-Men: Days of Future Past_.

Also, this story will be separated into two parts; the same full story length but different plots. Try not to get confused. Of course, I don't own the rights to the Transformers, but I like to think I do it better than Michael Bay. HA! Still, Steve Jablonsky does put out some kick ass scores.

* * *

 _Prologue_

 _Earth, the home world of Humanity and the adopted home of my kind… has fallen. By the Earth year of 2043, it has become a dark, desolate world wrought by war, suffering and loss on all sides. Not just Autobots or Decepticons, but Humans as well, fighting against an undefeatable enemy; the Chimeras. They exist as human/machine hybrids, devoid of consciousness and dedicated to one goal; the extermination of life on Earth. Unfeeling, unrelenting, they show no pity, no remorse or compassion or fear and they will not stop until all life on Earth, and perhaps on Cybertron and the wider galaxy, is extinguished._

 _I fear for the future of the galaxy, knowing that should we fail, the Chimeras will exterminate everything. They act as a plague, spreading like an uncontrollable wildfire. Are we destined down this path? Is it a predetermined outcome in which all life on Earth, Cybertron and the wider galaxy is no more? Or can we change our way? Can we evolve fast enough to change ourselves… to change our fate? Is the future truly set?_

* * *

TRANSFORMERS:  
EDGE OF OBLIVION PT. I

Chapter I

The Earth year was 2043, 30 years since the emergence of the Chimeras, human/robot hybrids created by the pro-Human military group M.E.C.H. The belief was that the Chimeras would've been a deterrent against the Transformers, particularly the Autobots should they ever have gone rogue. When the Chimeras first saw action in 2013, they were effective. They took the fight to the Autobots and the Decepticons, and it was said to be in the name of Humanity according to the leader of MECH, Silas Bishop. The Chimeras did their jobs well… maybe too well.

It wasn't long before the unthinkable happened; the Chimeras eventually turned on Humanity. They went from targeting the Transformers to targeting humans as well, slaughtering any that opposed them. The humans were forced to side with the Transformers, but it was all for nothing. The Chimeras were relentless in the hunt for anyone and anything that stood against them. For the next 30 years, the Chimeras were systematic and wiped any and all resistance. It didn't matter the side: Autobot, Decepticon or Human. If they stood against the Chimeras, they were already wiped out.

Now in 2043, Chimeras overran Earth and most of the Transformers were wiped out. The Transformers did have one advantage: the Chimeras couldn't track them while they were in vehicle form. It allowed the few remaining Autobots and Decepticons to conduct supply runs across the country without having to engage the Chimeras. It worked well enough, although a wiser approach was to avoid traveling in large numbers to avoid suspicion and eventual detection.

One such supply run was underway in an old storage depot in Nevada. It was led by Jazz, who had taken command of the away team missions following the deaths of Elita One and Ultra Magnus. Jazz wasn't alone on the run; he had Bumblebee, Arcee and the Decepticon Dreadwing along with him. The group was hard at work gathering supplies, mainly power sources for sustenance and for the vital systems back at their new base in the Nevada desert. But some items were too small for the Transformers, so it was only natural to have a human help them. It this case, it was Samantha Witwicky.

Samantha, or Sam for short, was the daughter of Daniel and Verity and the granddaughter of Spike and Carly Witwicky. Born in the Earth year 2021, the 22 year old Sam had endured as much personal hardship as any other human in the country… whoever was still alive anyway. She'd been with the Autobots since most of her family died, but she persevered and grew into a smart, tech savvy and compassionate young woman. She also had something of a dry sense of humor, useful in times of severe stress or despair.

Sam wasn't the only newcomer. A young Transformer was also present, and she had a uniqueness that went beyond her physical appearance. Her name was Windblade, and she was what the other Transformers called a City Speaker. She had a seemingly innate talent for communicating with what ever town or city in which she found herself, regardless of whether the place was abandoned or not. In addition, it helped whenever the Chimeras were approaching. Windblade could warn the Transformers of approaching enemies through the CCTV systems in the city, assuming they were still working.

It was sheer luck that the systems were working at the depot, but Jazz still hustled his comrades to gather anything useful to bring back to the base. "Let's hurry this up 'fore them Chimeras crash the party. Windblade, you picking up anything yet?"

Windblade was 'listening' to the depot before she addressed Jazz. "The depot tells me that we have three Chimeras approaching from the southeast. They'll be on us in less than six cycles."

"Double time it, ya'll. We gotta get cracking out of here as soon as possible." Jazz said.

"No pressure," Windblade muttered and looked to Sam as she was nearby. "How you doing there, Sam?"

Sam was working on some controls, crossing wires and reinserting bits from point to point. "Great, Windy. I managed to rewire the shutters around the depot and set additional defenses. It ought to be enough to slow the Chimeras and buy us time to escape."

"You said that the last time and it led to the loss of Crosshairs, Highbrow, the Combaticons, and most of the _Harbinger_ crew, girl. I've made it point to not trust a Human on their word." Dreadwing angrily snapped.

"Lay off, Dreadwing." Windblade snapped back.

"Who are you to order me? You've no authority over anyone; you're not even an Autobot or a Decepticon." Dreadwing said out loud.

"I'm Sam's best friend, and that should be all you need to know." Windblade stated with pride.

"Friendship and loyalty have done nothing for anyone." Dreadwing argued.

"That's enough! Everyone shut up and listen." Jazz said and halted the group.

The group stopped what they were doing and listened to a strange noise that seemed to come from all around them. Whatever it was, it sounded wrong. It sounded like a fate drilling noise cutting through the stone structure of the depot. The group deployed their weapons, including Windblade deploying an energized short sword. Then a portion of the ceiling broke free and fell to the floor in front Bumblebee and Arcee. More debris fell before a Chimera dropped to the floor as well.

It was roughly the same height as Optimus Prime himself, maybe taller, sporting a purely charcoal grey color scheme and grooves of yellow lights streaking across its chassis. Its face was like the face of a human, but mechanized and virtually devoid of any emotional inflictions. The eyes, or optics, glowed a demented shade of yellow and were devoid of emotion as the rest of the robot's face. The Transformers stood their ground, even as two more Chimeras dropped out of the hole dug in by the first.

Jazz fired the first shot without hesitation, blowing off the right arm of one of the Chimeras. The damaged Chimera staggered back from the blast but righted itself to continue its advance. Dreadwing fired the other two to hold them back while Arcee and Bumblebee helped Jazz against his target. The Chimera that was going for Dreadwing lunged forward and knocked his gun out of his hand before grabbing him. But in an instant, Windblade cleaved off the Chimera's arm to free him. The other Chimeras subdued Jazz, Arcee and Bumblebee briefly and focused on Windblade.

Windblade was ready, taking an offensive stance with her wings spread out completely. The engine turbines fired a pair of concussive blasts that rocked the Chimera and sent it through a wall. Windblade used another concussive blast against another Chimera to bring it down if only for a matter of moments. In addition to her wing turbines, Windblade drew an energy scimitar sword.

Dreadwing retrieved his gun and fired at the Chimera as it was rising up from the floor, tearing off its left arm. Windblade charged forward in and began slicing the Chimera in a furious flurry of precision strikes across the machine's body before blowing it back with her wing turbines. The Chimera was clearly heavily damaged by the combines attack but it still advanced on the Transformers, and Jazz motioned for the team to fall back. Windblade immediately picked Sam up off the floor and ran in the opposite direction. Bumblebee and Arcee followed suit while Jazz and Dreadwing held off the Chimeras.

"Dreadwing, get out of here. Make sure the others make it back to base." Jazz said.

"You do realize it's suicide to remain against three Chimeras, right?" Dreadwing said.

"It's better than the alternative. Getting that equipment to Brainstorm is the only chance we've got if Prime's plan is going to work. Now go!" Jazz ordered and blasted the Chimera closest to him.

Without hesitation, Dreadwing bolted out of the place and left Jazz to buy time for the other to escape. Rushing through the depot, Dreadwing caught up with the others just as they reached the main shutter. The shutter was closed and Sam worked to get it open. They wouldn't budge. One of the mechanisms was likely jammed in place. So Windblade hit the shutter with a concussive blast that blew the shutter clear and led the team outside. Bumblebee immediately noticed Jazz's absence.

"Where's Jazz?" he asked.

"He's not coming." Dreadwing replied. "We need to leave."

Bumblebee quickly knew what was going to happen and protested. "No, we can't leave him behind."

"We don't have a choice and he's not giving us one. We have to go right now." Dreadwing said and pushed Bumblebee aside.

"Well you can go, but I'm going back." Bumblebee declared.

"Then you can die with him, or we can all return to Optimus Prime and Megatron and get this plan of theirs done. You're choice." Dreadwing stated before he transformed and flew out of sight.

Bumblebee was clearly conflicted, having one foot directed toward the depot and the other on the open road. His instincts were tearing him apart with indecision. His spark was telling him to return to the depot and save Jazz, but his thoughts were telling him to escape right now and return to Optimus Prime. Arcee could see that Bumblebee was inching toward the depot and, as badly as she wanted to return to help Jazz, she saw the bigger picture and stepped in front of Bumblebee. Windblade and Sam, the two youngest members of the group, stood with itching trepidation as Arcee held Bumblebee back.

"Bee, we have to go." she told him.

Bee protested, "We can't, Arcee. We can leave him behind. We need him."

"Jazz is staying to buy us time to get back to Optimus. What do you think Optimus himself would do?" Arcee asked.

Bumblebee couldn't provide an answer even though he already knew the answer. He said, "This isn't right, Arcee."

"It hasn't been right for 30 Earth years." Arcee said before she assumed her vehicle form and raced away.

Windblade took Sam without a word and assumed her own vehicle form as a futuristic jet and took off. Bumblebee remained where he stood and listened. Jazz was still in the depot, fighting for his life against the Chimeras. His instincts continued to rip away at him to rush in and help his friend. But unfortunately, he knew Jazz would protest his involvement and not want Bee to risk his own life for him. Jazz knew the stakes were much higher than just his own life, and Bumblebee knew that as well.

"I'm sorry, Jazz!" he whispered before transforming and racing away.

* * *

Jazz was thrown into the wall and left a massive crater where he hit before he noticed a Chimera lunging at him. He rolled out of the way just as the Chimera thrust its arm forward, impaling the spot where he was laying. Jazz drew his gun and fired on the Chimera, striking it a few times in the chassis. Another Chimera approached and threw its arm forward, but Jazz managed to block and fired a shot into its face. The third Chimera, still favoring the lost arm from before, moved to attack Jazz but he was able to fight it off. Jazz backed off from the trio of emotionless robots and fired on all three of them.

"That all you got? C'mon, I got more for all of you." Jazz dared the three Chimeras.

The nearest moved forward and thrusts its arm forward, allowing Jazz to slip passed it and move toward the next Chimera. He shot the first and then the second before being confronted by the third, one-armed one. The one-armed Chimera managed to bat Jazz's gun out of his hand but Jazz managed to still take the fight to it. The others closed in. Jazz kicked one Chimera away but off managed to land a strike, shredding bits of Jazz's armor away. Jazz felt the pain instantly but kept fighting, pounding on the Chimera that injured him. The one-armed Chimera knocked him to the floor but near his fallen gun.

Jazz scrambled for the gun and grabbed it, spun to his back and fired a shot. The shot cleaved the head off the one-armed Chimera but it was still upright. Jazz fired another shot that struck the chassis, and the Chimera was finally brought down in a smoldering heap. Jazz cracked a smile and took aim at the next Chimera, only to be suddenly blasted from behind. This attack was very different from any energy-based attack Jazz had experienced. His joints seemed to lock in place, but he was able to turn his head around toward the source.

A figure walked forward, slender and female in appearance. Her body was shaded black and with flaming decals, she sported a duel-pronged helmet over glowing, red optics and twin wheels mounted on her back. She held a crossbow-like weapon in her right hand and aimed it straight at Jazz and fired. The bolt that flew out struck Jazz on his right leg joint, bring him to a knee. The two remaining Chimeras attack, but Jazz fought them off as best he could. It wasn't enough, and the Chimeras pummeled Jazz relentlessly while the new arrival simply stood and watched. She only took a step to one side and back again while Jazz was mauled. By that point, Jazz was a beaten, battered mess of metal, sparking joints and leaking fluids as the arrival femme stood over him.

"Flamewar." he snarled in pain.

"Look at you. You Transformers have spent so long fighting each other, making a mess out of the planet, completely oblivious to the casualties left in your wake. It's almost sad." said the femme that Jazz addressed as Flamewar.

"Old habits die hard." Jazz said.

"I don't doubt it, but it's all over, Jazz. Now, you're going to tell me where they're hiding and they're planning. Where are Optimus Prime and Megatron?" Flamewar demanded to know.

Jazz shifted to alleviate some of the pain in his joints when he replied, "You and your toys can track us, Flamewar. Find 'em yourself."

Flamewar narrowed her optics before driving her hand into Jazz's chassis, causing Jazz to scream in agonizing pain. She twisted her arm inside of his chassis, making him experience more torture than anyone had in the Earth years since the Chimeras took over. Flamewar seemed to smirk at the sight Jazz's suffering with a sadistic grin that quickly vanished. She thrust even deeper until she could almost lay her pointed fingertip on Jazz's spark. Jazz winced at the sensation of slowing being tortured and knowing that the moment Flamewar removed her arm from his chassis, he'd go offline. But he had one final trick to execute.

"WHERE ARE THEY?" Flamewar screamed out and sent an echo through the depot.

Jazz only smiled a sly grin before showing his hand. A small device was held in the palm, blinking a tiny red light that caught the attention of Flamewar. She looked around at the surrounding area. Similar red lights blinked around her and the two Chimeras, while Jazz slumped back and his blue optics dimmed and his body turned ash gray. He still had that sly grin as he shut down. Flamewar quickly realized what was about to happen and she quickly transformed into a black and flamed decaled motorcycle. She bolted out of the depot, leaving the two Chimeras behind without a second thought. The explosives continued to blink with increasing speed before the detonation came.

* * *

After separating to reduce the chances of detection, Windblade heard the boom from the distance. The shockwave followed and knocked her out of the dark red sky. She plummeted toward the Earth with Sam riding in her cockpit, but managed to use her vertical thrusters on her wings to steady her descent. Sam jumped out of her seat and dropped to the ground, feeling the shake caused by the boom. Windblade, despite the warning of being in robotic form, transformed to gaze at the giant plume of fire and smoke that was the supply depot only moments before.

"Jazz was in there." Sam said and cupped her hands to her face in disbelief.

Windblade stepped forward, her optics pulsating in shock and awe. "Sam, we've got to go. The longer we stay out in the open, the more likely Flamewar will find us."

"How do you know Flamewar is there?" Sam asked.

"I just know, Sam. We need to rendezvous with the others as soon as possible." Windblade said and picked Sam up from the ground. She then transformed back into her jet form and flew off.

* * *

Flamewar stood alone amid the destroyed remains of the supply depot with utter contempt in her optics, looking far into the distance beyond. She could sense the presence of a single Transformer, but it was too distant to know which one it was but still knowing all the same. Flamewar looked around at the ruins of the depot, seeing the wreckages of the two Chimeras she'd left behind to be destroyed in the blast. She scoffed at the remains. She knew that the Chimeras numbered in the thousands, so two or three losses was hardly a concern.

Her focused rested solely on the Transformers, specifically Optimus Prime and Megatron. They were the only two things holding the remaining Transformers together, and she knew the war with the Chimeras would be over if they were destroyed. Flamewar was going to find them, sooner or later. After all, it was all a part of her programming being that she was the first Chimera ever created. She had no intentions of being the last.

* * *

Author's Note: That's the opening chapter in a nutshell, which is relatively short, and things are already looking bad for the robots in disguise. As you probably noticed, Windblade makes her debut and she will serve as the main protagonist. Conversely, Flamewar debuts as one of the primary antagonists.

The Chimeras are basically the Transformers equivalent of the Sentinels and Flamewar is kind of like Master Mold. Take that for what you will.

Also debuting is Sam Witwicky, who in this story is the daughter of Daniel and Verity and the granddaughter of Spike and Carly.

Yes, I did just kill Jazz. But keep in mind that this happened 30 years in the future, so you can bet he's still alive in the past. Anyways, that's it for this chapter. So drop a review my way and I'll be back soon.


	2. A Desperate Gamble

Disclaimer: Looks like the latest Transformers story is off to a good start. Let's see if we can keep things going strong. Oh, and Happy New Year by the way.

I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter II

Sam looked out of the canopy of Windblade's cockpit and at the horizon that couldn't even be seen anymore. There was literally nothing to see at all except for the darkest, thickest clouds imaginable on Earth. That was how bad things had become since the Chimeras first emerged. Sam felt completely sadness and despair, having been born in the early years of the war. She looked down at the Earth and could just barely see fires flickering below. She wasn't sure if they were burning buildings or simply random fires spreading around the landscape. Sam wasn't sure she wanted to know.

Windblade in the meantime focused her efforts on getting herself and Sam back to the only safe haven left on Earth for human and Transformers. She had to travel alone as per the instructions of Optimus Prime to minimize detection. Maintaining radio silence with the rest of the team was just as crucial. But Windblade was more concerned about how Optimus Prime would've reacted to the news of Jazz's sacrifice. She tried not to think about it and just continued flying, inwardly grateful that at the least, the Chimeras weren't capable of flight… so far as she knew, at least.

The next half hour of travel was quick and uneventful, and Windblade made it to the location of the hidden base. She traveled to the top of a rock formation where a large opening revealed the inside of the formation. Sam looked out of the cockpit as Windblade descended into the formation. She could see another jet approaching a quickly determined that it was Dreadwing. She noticed two dust trails approaching from the southwest and quickly determined that they belonged to Bumblebee and Arcee. Windblade lowered into the formation.

The interior was different from the outside, which was to be expected considering that the Transformer's hidden base was an old missile silo. Sam jumped out of the cockpit and along Windblade to transform, but she immediately had to move as Dreadwing almost descended on top of her. Dreadwing transformed and landed dangerously close to Sam and if Windblade hadn't acted to move her friend away, she'd have been crushed under the weight of Dreadwing… not that he cared.

"What the hell, Dreadwing? You could've killed me." Sam angrily protested.

Dreadwing glared at Sam and replied, even more angrily, "Just be thankful this little Sparkling pulled you out of my way, or there'd be one less human to deal with."

Windblade took offense to Dreadwing's comments and stepped up to him. "This 'little Sparkling' is more than capable to kicking your aft, Dreadwing."

"You're welcome to try, kid." Dreadwing challenged Windblade.

"Don't tempt me, Dreadwing." Windblade said deployed a blade from each arm.

"You don't have the manifolds." Dreadwing continued to taunt Windblade and prompting her to approach him.

Within seconds before the two came to blows, Arcee and Bumblebee raced into the silo and transformed in unison. Arcee moved in first to subdue Windblade while Bumblebee halted Dreadwing in his place. Windblade and Dreadwing tried to fight passed Arcee and Bumblebee just to get at each other, while Sam backed away from the palpable tension and animosity that was permeating in the base. But it wasn't long before the one Transformer that no one expected to break up the conflict did arrive to do so. Sam backed away to a corner upon seeing the familiar silver frame and fusion cannon of Megatron. Like the rest of the group, the now former leader of the Decepticons had appeared to see better cycles.

"Would someone like to explain what is going on here?" Megatron snapped, causing the other Transformers to stand down.

"Sure, Megatron. That's assuming you can get you watchdog under control." Windblade snapped back.

"You can keep talking all you like, Windblade…" Dreadwing said before Megatron stepped in between them.

"That is enough. Dreadwing. There's already too few of us to constitute infighting."

"I am in agreement, Megatron," said the just arriving Optimus Prime, looking just as disheveled as Megatron and the rest of the team. "I will say that it is at least good to see you all returned safely. Where is Jazz?" Optimus Prime asked upon noting Jazz's absence.

Bumblebee and Arcee exchanged troubled glances, as if they were trying to figure out which of them would have to tell Optimus. Ultimately, it was Arcee who said, "Optimus, we were attack by the Chimeras. Jazz… Jazz didn't make it."

Optimus Prime's face told the story of an Autobot who not only just lost one of his best soldiers, but a dear friend. Another friend… just gone. Instantly, Optimus fell into broken thought of the countless friends lost in the war with the Chimeras. Ultra Magnus, Elita One, Cerebros and Sideswipe were among those friends killed by the Chimeras. Hotrod was among those who were missing. All together, Optimus Prime felt the deepening well of despair fill his thoughts. But he didn't dare display it to the others, even though Megatron knew all too well. Optimus Prime needed to remain focused on the task at hand if the Transformers had any hope left to survive any longer.

"Arcee, you and Bumblebee and Windblade bring the equipment you have secured to Brainstorm. With any luck, it will provide us with the means to accomplish our mission." Optimus Prime said.

Arcee gave Optimus Prime a nod and motioned, Bumblebee and Windblade with her to meet with Brainstorm. Sam stayed for a few moments to look at Optimus Prime. He was giving the typical vibe of a focused leader not showing any wavering or signs of doubt. But Sam was smart enough to know that the news of Jazz's death had shaken Optimus to his Spark. She wasn't going to press him on it considering that Megatron was leering at her, not out of spite but simply using a visual queue to leave. Sam did so and rushed off to catch up with the others.

As soon as they were gone, Optimus Prime showed the affects of the news of Jazz's death. He stumbled toward a walk leaned an elbow against it, falling into deep thought mixed with dejection. Megatron clearly sensed the toll that this, Chimera War, which he called, had taken on Optimus Prime. While the Autobots that remained saw it as cold indifference, Megatron knew better that it was necessary to maintain a clear, undistracted process of thought. It appeared that Optimus Prime no longer had that mindset.

"This was an eventuality, Optimus. But now is hardly the time to mourn." Megatron explained in a level tone.

Optimus heard him but was unsure of how to respond. He eventually asked, "How many more, Megatron? Ultra Magnus, Sideswipe, Crosshairs, Triage… Elita… how many more of our kind must be sacrificed?"

"As painful as this might sound, it may take as many casualties as is needed. The Chimeras vastly outnumber us and you know that Flamewar is among them, orchestrating every move they make. We are on the verge of extinction, Optimus." Megatron explained to Optimus.

Optimus Prime lifted himself off the wall to face his former rival-turned-reluctant ally. "You are correct, Megatron. We all face extinction now; Autobots, Decepticons and Humans alike. Flamewar and the Chimeras will never stop hunting us, and we cannot defeat them."

"Then I hope that this grand plan of your succeeds, but we need you to see us all through it. Everything depends on this. Everything!" Megatron stated before leaving Optimus Prime alone.

Alone again with his thoughts, Optimus Prime opened a compartment in his forearm. A holographic image of Elita One appeared. She was smiling, almost directly at Optimus and it felt like a reminder of a happier time. For Optimus Prime, it was as such… before the Chimeras rose up. Megatron was right; the Transformers were on the verge of extinction. There was only one hope left for all of them, but Optimus Prime knew it to be far too great a gamble. Unfortunately, he needed to take that gamble. The future depended on it.

* * *

Brainstorm had changed since the loss of many of his friends. He was still the great tinkerer of the Autobots, the scientist and theorist to whom the Autobots turned. But the deaths of his friends, particularly Cerebros, had taken an emotional toll on him. Brainstorm was bitter and angry now. He wanted revenge against the Chimeras for the deaths of his friends, but Optimus Prime and Megatron needed him. All of the Transformers that still lived needed him. Brainstorm decided to stay with them for their sake, and he hardly gave anything less that a small glance when Bumblebee, Arcee, Windblade and Dreadwing arrived with the equipment.

"Welcome back, guys." Brainstorm said without looking in their direction.

Bumblebee carefully placed the equipment down on the work bench across the area and replied, "We were lucky, Brainstorm. It's just that…"

Brainstorm knew instantly from Bee's hesitation and said, "You lost someone."

Bee confirmed, "Jazz!"

Brainstorm halted his work for a split second before he returned to his work, but his circuits were enflamed with anger. "You've got the stuff, right?" he asked.

"It's all here, Brainstorm, although Optimus still won't tell us what it's all for." Windblade said.

"I might have a hunch on that, Windblade. Whatever plan Optimus and Megatron have seems to involve the Ground Bridge we have in this place. But they've stayed unusually quiet about the details and it doesn't sit well with me." Brainstorm said.

"Maybe they plan to have the Ground Bridge modified to teleport us to Cybertron, assuming Cybertron is still habitable at this point." Arcee speculated.

"Or maybe they want the Bridge modified into a super weapon to wipe out every single Chimera on the planet. Personally, I'm all for a super weapon." Dreadwing exclaimed coldly.

"That's going way too far, Dreadwing." Windblade said.

"If you ask me, Optimus Prime never seems to go far enough." Dreadwing countered.

"Optimus has a plan. He and Megatron have to have one, so we have to trust them." Windblade confided just as Sam joined her and stood at the feet of her friend.

"It's a bit difficult to trust someone when they keep us in the dark." Brainstorm coldly stated.

Optimus Prime and Megatron arrived as if right on queue. "Then it's time to shine some light into the situation." Megatron declared.

"Contrary to speculation, the Ground Bridge is not being modified into a Space Bridge to send us all back to Cybertron. Even if it were, we have no guarantee that Cybertron still exists." Optimus Prime stated.

"And it's not being modified into a super weapon either. Sorry, Dreadwing." Megatron joked, and Dreadwing huffed.

The Transformers quietly muttered among themselves while Sam asked, "What's it all for then? Why'd we all go out there in enemy territory and risk our live to grab this stuff?"

Optimus Prime and Megatron exchanged glances at each other; Megatron gave a nod, and Optimus nodded back. "It is time that we told all of you our plan. But first, we must remember and understand how and why this war came about…"

* * *

 _((In the Earth year 2013, 30 years prior to this Apocalypse, the pro-Human splinter cell group called M.E.C.H. began actively opposing the Cybertronian race. They regularly targeted both Autobots and Decepticons. Their leader was Silas Bishop, a Human Military Colonel. He saw the Transformers as a threat to the security of Earth, regardless of the factions, and he has frequently attempted random strikes against us. It wasn't until after the battle for Autobot City in 2013 that Silas appeared to find the answer to what he perceived to be his personal vendetta._

 _His people recovered the remains of Josie Beller after the battle and had begun work to reverse engineer the technology that turned Beller into a hybrid machine. Silas and M.E.C.H. worked diligently to create their own hybrid Transformers, their first Chimera: Flamewar. Using Flamewar as a template, M.E.C.H. created a range of Chimeras with the intention of eliminating the Cybertronian race. Silas took steps to convince the Human governments of the necessity of the Chimera program. For a time, the plan worked to perfection._

 _That was until Flamewar developed the one thing for which Silas did not account; sentience. Unbeknownst to Silas and to M.E.C.H., the consciousness of Josie Beller had taken over Flamewar, and she still carried the same pure hatred for all Transformers as before, further amplified by her own technological rebirth. Determining that Humans were now just as guilty as the Transformers, Flamewar led the Chimeras on an apocalyptic assault upon any who apposed them. It was not just the Autobots or the Decepticons that the Chimeras slaughtered, but the Humans as well.))_

* * *

"And it all started in 2013… the moment that Flamewar was forged and led the way to Armageddon." Optimus Prime finished.

There was silence among the Transformers, some of them trying to process the story and some trying to think of something other than what Optimus Prime explained. Megatron, for his part, hadn't said a word while Optimus had explained things to the group, but he nodded in the affirmative that Optimus did the right thing. The Transformers knew they were fighting a losing war and now at least they knew why. Eventually, Windblade slowly stood up and took a single step toward Optimus to confront him.

"You want to go back to 2013," she said, and Optimus gave her a subtle nod. "The Ground Bridge is being reconfigured into a Time Machine."

Optimus replied, "That is the plan, Windblade. If I can go back time and stop Flamewar from ever being forged, we can ultimately stop the Chimeras from ever existing."

"And ultimately, end this war before it ever comes to pass." Megatron finished.

"Optimus, you know I'd follow you to ends of the galaxy, but this is an entirely whole new level of crazy. Going back in time to change the past is messing with the natural order of things." Bumblebee stated.

"You may be correct, Bumblebee. But the longer we delay, the more likely that Flamewar will eventually find us and destroy us all. Traveling back in time to 2013 may very well be the only option we have left." Optimus stated.

"It's a foolish option that most likely will fail. We'd have been better off leaving Earth altogether to the Chimeras, take our chances out in space." Dreadwing claimed.

"Did you forget that we've been out of contact with Cybertron since this war started, Dreadwing," Arcee said. "And even IF we could regain some form of contact with Cybertron, you're warship went down during the first wave of Chimera attacks."

"I wonder if it was before or after Rodimus disappeared." Dreadwing taunted Arcee, and she stepped forward.

"You bring up Rodimus again and I'll feed you to the Chimeras myself." she snapped, while Bumblebee and Windblade separated the two.

After the scuffle was ended, Brainstorm approached Optimus Prime and told him, "Optimus, sending you back in time might not be as simple as you think. We were all still present in 2013. If you or any one of us travel back in time and our past selves see that bot, it could create a paradox that, in theory at least, could screw up the space/time continuum."

"Yeah, not to mention that the last time there were two Optimus Primes in one place, it didn't exactly go all that well for the Autobots." Bumblebee added, glancing at Megatron.

"You just had to revisit that moment, didn't you, little scout?" Megatron snarled.

"There is no other alternative, Brainstorm. This is the only option available to us and if we do nothing, Flamewar and the Chimeras will eventually find us and destroy us all." Optimus argued.

"And if you past self sees you or if any one of our past selves see us, the whole space/time continuum could get turned on its audio receiver. I'm sorry, Optimus, but this plan to go back in time… it's not going to work." Brainstorm regretfully stated.

It wasn't often that Optimus Prime felt defeated, but this was one of those rare moments. Megatron simply stated, "It was worth a try, Optimus. But it would appear that our future is fixed to never be altered."

"This is our only chance, Megatron. We can not give up now." Optimus said with some determination in his tone.

After a long silence among the group, Windblade finally declared, "I can do it."

Everyone looked at Windblade and Arcee said, "Windblade…?"

"I can do it." Windblade repeated.

"Uh, were you're listening to me, Windblade? None of us can go back in time to 2013 and risk being seen by our past selves." Brainstorm retorted.

"But _I_ can, Brainstorm. Optimus, you know that I wasn't even on Earth when the Chimeras began their attack." Windblade said to Optimus Prime.

"That is correct, Windblade. You had only arrived on Earth roughly 4 stellar cycles after the Chimera War began. However, I can not ask you to do this."

"You're not asking me; I'm volunteering. And besides, you said yourself that this is the last chance any of us have. So like it or not, I have to try."

Megatron stepped forward to face Windblade, and Windblade was reminded of the sheer height difference between herself and Megatron. "I assume that you are aware of what you're volunteering to do. If you fail in the past, we all die here in the present and the future would belong to the Chimeras."

"And what if I succeed?" Windblade asked.

"Should you be successful, then history will be altered. The world we know now will change, as will everyone in it. A new future will be set, hopefully into a future without the Chimeras." Optimus Prime said.

"Hopefully?" Windblade repeated.

"There is always a chance for… unforeseen consequences. But as has been said before, this is out last chance." Optimus Prime concluded.

Windblade took in every word that Optimus Prime explained to her, and soon she took in the full scope of the mission for which she'd volunteered. She looked around at the group, and every one of them gave her varying looks. They bordered on trust and on trepidation, hopefulness and concern. Windblade looked down at Sam. The young Human woman gave Windblade an approving nod.

Looking back at Optimus Prime, Windblade said, "Well, what are we waiting for?"

* * *

The Transformers worked quickly but diligently on the Ground Bridge using the supplies and equipment recovered from the depot. There wasn't a single screw that was spared in the construction, each one being put to the best possible use for the plan. There was some trepidation amongst the small group of Autobots and Decepticons… and a small hint of mistrust. It was only through Megatron and Optimus Prime's urging that the hostilities between the surviving members of each faction be quelled.

As the volunteering candidate set to embark on such an important mission, Windblade focused on her portion of work with Sam ever-presently at her side. It helped to have Sam there for two reasons. First, she was small enough to get into the little nooks that Windblade couldn't reach, and she was tech savvy enough to know what how to fix an issue. Second and far more importantly, Sam added that much needed ease for Windblade to have enough confidence to know was expected of her. Sam knew that Windblade was nervous as the Pit, evident whenever Windblade fidgeted in even the slightest of degrees. So in many ways, Windblade saw Sam as the sister she wished she had.

Over time, the Ground Bridge had been fully retrofitted into the proposed time machine. The Transformers were gathered around to glimpse the makeshift apparatus as Windblade stepped forward. She had the apprehension present in her servos, but Optimus Prime had faith in her. She wasn't entirely sure about Megatron, but that was why she trusted Optimus… and Sam. Sam was at her side as always like a guardian angel or at the very least a mechanized equivalent of one. Still, she was nervous and that was when the first question came out.

"So I travel back in time to 2013 and end up Primus-knows-where and then what?" she asked.

Optimus stepped forward so he was directly facing Windblade, the height difference between them being too noticeable to ignore. "You will have to locate me in Autobot City and inform me of the calamity to come."

"And you… your past self will believe me just like that?" Windblade asked.

"Perhaps not right away. It may take some convincing not just of my past self, but also of the Autobots still alive during that period." Optimus Prime admitted.

Megatron stepped forward and added, "You'll want to avoid the Decepticons for a time while you're in the past, Windblade."

"Why?"

"Let's just say the Autobots and Decepticons of the past were not on the best speaking terms." Megatron vaguely implied.

"I've set the chronometer to approximately five Earth days before the Flamewar came online." Brainstorm stated.

"Five Earth days? That's cutting it pretty close, Brainstorm." Windblade claimed.

"M.E.C.H. had nearly unlimited resources that allowed them to make great strides in their research and development of our species. This is the best… and last chance that we have to prevent this nightmare from ever occurring. We are all counting on you, Windblade." Optimus Prime proclaimed.

Windblade nervously chuckled, "Great! No pressure!"

Standing at the side of Windblade, Sam suddenly shouted out, "I'm coming with you, Windy."

Windblade looked down at her best friend and shouted back, "What?! No way, Sam. That's crazy."

Optimus added, "I fully understand your desire to aid you friend, Samantha. But time travel is a strange and dangerous phenomenon that should not never be underestimated."

"Besides, your mother and father were still alive in 2013. If they learn of you in that time, it could lead to a situation where should they not… _unite_ … you would cease to exist." Megatron added.

"I'm sure that would make you feel better, Megatron," Sam said. "Look, they won't know I'm their daughter. I won't use my last name, so they'll never know."

"Sam, it's too dangerous." Windblade said.

"More dangerous than sitting here waiting for Flamewar to find us? Windy, the future is at stake. Besides…I… I want to see my parents when they were alive. They won't know I'm their daughter, okay?" Sam stated with solid resolve in her voice.

"Sam…?! Fine, you can come with me. But you absolutely CAN NOT let them know you're their future child." Windblade relented but stayed adamant.

After a long pause, even Optimus Prime relented. "Very well, Samantha. You may accompany Windblade on her mission as long as your true identity remains a secret."

"I guess you're riding shotgun with me, Sam," Windblade claimed as she knelt down and put her arm out, allowing Sam to climb up. "Just don't make me regret this."

Sam was already most of the way up when she entered into the open compartment of Windblade's chest plate. "You won't, Windy."

"Brainstorm, activate the Ground… the Time Bridge." Optimus Prime ordered.

"Time Bridge! I like that." Brainstorm said as he started the machinery.

Looking back at Windblade, Optimus Prime said to her, "The future is in your hands now, Windblade."

Windblade gave a nervous nod to Optimus Prime as Brainstorm pressed one last button and flipped one last switch. Within a matter of moments, the Time Bridge hummed to life. The light fixtures around the machine flickered on one by one before a portal finally opened directly in front of Windblade. The force alone was enough to make her take a step back. Windblade secretly envied Sam, who was safely nestled inside her body structure. Once the portal stabilized, Windblade righted her self and prepared to take the first step through the portal. The past, present and future was in her hands now.

* * *

Flamewar stopped rummaging through the rubble of a destroyed building the moment she felt it… the minuscule ping of a faint energy reading that was as prominent as the human part of her. The Chimeras that searched along with her stopped as well, but only when she stopped. It was akin to a hive mind in that respect. Flamewar stood straight up to scan the surrounding area, seeing every ruin around her with crystal clear detail.

Her point of view halted as she faced northwest of her current location. That energy reading she'd picked up was spiking. A sadistic grin formed on her metallic face. The Chimeras around her reacted and looked in the exact same direction that she was looking. Flamewar pushed passed the Chimeras and gazed into the distance. Her scanners pointed straight to the energy spike. That was enough.

"I've got you now."

* * *

Author's Note: Chapter two is done and, and the Transformers have already set their desperate plan into motion with Windblade taking on the roll of Kitty Pryde from the Days of Future Past storyline… or Wolverine from the movie.

There's a little subplot involving Sam that I'll get to later on. Also, the missile silo hideout is a reference to the same location used by the Autobots if Transformers: Prime.

So, that's it's right there. Be sure to leave a review and I'll be back soon. Peace!


	3. Tense Past-Tense

Disclaimer: Here I am again, bringing the next chapter of the time travel escapades of Windblade. Try not to get too confused.

As always, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter III

The Time Bridge appeared to stabilize, but Brainstorm maintained a good look at the readout. Bumblebee, Arcee and Dreadwing kept the vital systems running for as long as was needed. Windblade prepared herself for the trip through the Time Bridge, tapping on her chest to ensure that Sam was safe inside. Within her inner structure, Sam tapped back and this gave Windblade some added reassurance. Windblade turned back toward the group of Transformers preparing to see her off, focusing her optics on Optimus Prime and Megatron. Megatron was nonchalant, but Optimus Prime gave Windblade a telling nod to reassure her further.

"Here we go!" Windblade muttered to herself as she started to slow walk into the portal.

Then the alarm suddenly started blaring and drawing the attention of the Transformers. "Proximity alert!" Arcee shouted.

"It's the Chimeras. They've found us." Megatron said.

"Windblade, the time is now. Go." Optimus Prime declared to Windblade.

"But Optimus…" Windblade protested.

"I GAVE YOU AN ORDER! GO… NOW!"

Windblade couldn't argue even she wanted to, not with Optimus Prime and not with so much at stake. She watched the rest of the Transformers prepare for the inevitable, but the urge to remain and fight with them intensified every second. Optimus Prime would've protested, knowing the importance of the mission. Her thought process was interrupted by a large blast in the tunnel leading into the base. Left with no other option, Windblade rushed into the Time Bridge and disappeared in the light.

Another explosion of dirt kicked into the base and at least two Chimeras appeared. Within an instant, the Transformers shot them apart before three more appeared. They were shot apart as well, but them one of them attempted to make for the still active Time Bridge. Megatron instantly reacted… by blasting the Time Bridge controls just as the upper half of the Chimera slipped through. The Time Bridge close and sliced the Chimera in half, with only it's lower torso and legs remaining.

Brainstorm, who was near the control when Megatron shot them, leered at the Decepticon. But any argument would've had to wait when Flamewar stepped forward passed the Chimeras. The Transformers prepared to fight, but Flamewar appeared considerably nonplussed. Rather than attack outright, she studied the base and every corner of it.

"So this is where you've been hiding," Flamewar said before her optics settled the lower half of the dead Chimera. "Where's your rookie?"

"Gone from here, where you ill never find her." Optimus Prime claimed.

"Doesn't matter to me either way. I came for you, Optimus Prime. You too, Megatron." Flamewar snarled.

"You still hold a grudge after so long." Megatron said mockingly.

"The incident on the Golden Gate Bridge was a lifetime ago, Flamewar." Optimus Prime said.

"That lifetime was spent forever trapped in this… this THING! I'm like this because of you and your war. Now, I'm going to finish what you started." Flamewar threatened.

"Not this time." Brainstorm said just before he activated a countdown.

"A detonation countdown? You really are desperate to stop me, aren't you, Optimus?"

"Whatever it takes to ensure a better future!" Optimus Prime declared.

Flamewar snapped and deployed a bladed weapon. She shouted, "None of you have a future!" Then she lunged forward just a bright flash illuminated the base.

Moments later, the mountain base seemed to implode and collapse in on itself. Tons of rock and dirt rained down to the landmass below and crashed into ground. The impacts that followed caused tons of dirt and ground to fly into the air and come back down. Soon after that, the entire mountain collapsed and sent more debris flying every which way. There was no sign of the Transformers or Flamewar or the Chimeras in the debris. There was nothing at all.

* * *

 _(2013 -30 years earlier)_

Ever since the Decepticons appeared to return to full strength with Megatron back in command, the Autobots had been on higher alert than normal. The truce that Optimus Prime had established with Galvatron following the Battle of Seattle was broken with the return of Megatron. Plus, the Human race had itself been on edge after the recent string of conflicts. Rumors began to swirl that Humanity was starting to lose faith in the Autobot's ability to protect them. The Autobots did what they could to maintain favor with the Humans. It didn't come without mixed results.

With tensions as high as they had been recently, Optimus Prime traveled to Washington DC to discuss the situation with President Keller. In Optimus Prime's absence, Ultra Magnus and Elita One were left in temporary command of the Autobots. While Elita One remained in Autobot City, Ultra Magnus was on patrol in vehicle mode in the neighboring town. The Humans in the town gave the red, white and blue car carrier a wide berth. They were more hesitant to be anywhere near Ultra Magnus. The image of the Humans now seemingly afraid of him, and the rest of the Autobots by extension, haunted Ultra Magnus.

Choosing to put it out of his mind, Ultra Magnus sent a call back to Autobot City. "Ultra Magnus to Autobot City. Elita One, you read me?"

Within moments, Elita One responded. _"Loud and clear, Ultra Magnus. Any Decepticon activity?"_

"So far, nothing. Between us though, it hurts to see how much trust we lost with the Humans. Ever since Seattle and then again in San Francisco, they've looked at us with more and suspicion than ever." Ultra Magnus confided to Elita One.

" _With Megatron back it the fold, could you blame them? We're all, what's the Human term… 'Walking on eggshells' with them. Optimus wants us to tread lightly for the time being."_ Elita One said.

"I don't think the Decepticons are getting the idea, but it's just them I'm worried about. It's Sideswipe; he's changed ever since Sunstreaker died." Ultra Magnus said.

"None of us have been the same since a lot of Autobots died. Why else did Breakaway leave Earth in the first place?" Elita One replied.

" _That'd be somewhat different when you consider that Dark Steel used to be Tempest, but I suppose you have a point."_ Ultra Magnus responded.

Elita One ran out of response before the detection instruments suddenly ping to life, and the readouts seemed to make little to no sense. "Wait a nanosecond… that's odd…."

" _What is it, Elita?"_

"The detection system's picking a strange reading. It's similar to the Ground Bridge but the energy output is significantly different. The epicenter is few yards from your current location." Elita One said.

" _Sideswipe is nearby, so I'll notify and meet up with him. See if you can get in contact with Optimus Prime."_ Ultra Magnus said.

* * *

Sideswipe wasn't driving along the streets. He was sitting atop a building in plain view of the Humans of the town, seemingly heedless of their wary glances of him. But it wasn't like he actually cared anymore, not since the death of his twin Sunstreaker. Ever since Megatron returned, Sideswipe had been looking for a chance at payback against the Decepticons. Dreadwing was at the top of Sideswipe's hit list as it was Dreadwing who killed Sunstreaker.

Optimus Prime had been aware of Sideswipe's desire for vengeance and when it reached it breaking point, Optimus assigned Sideswipe to city patrol. Sideswipe accepted the demotion, but he still yearned for revenge against Dreadwing. So he remained in the town in which he was stationed, in plain sight of the Humans and heedless of their trepidation. He waited for something and for anything to indicate Decepticon activity… and hoped Dreadwing was involved. It was just right at that moment that Ultra Magnus contacted Sideswipe.

" _Sideswipe, you read me? Sideswipe, are you there?"_

"Yeah, where else would I be?" Sideswipe replied.

" _Elita One just picked an anomaly near your location. I'm on route to meet you now, but don't do anything until I get there."_ Ultra Magnus said.

Sideswipe stood up for the first time and replied, "I hope it's the Decepticons and I really, REALLY hope it's Dreadwing."

" _Absolutely not, Sideswipe. Under no circumstances are you to engage if it's the Decepticons."_ Ultra Magnus ordered, but Sideswipe hit the street, transformed and drove off without heeding any traffic. _"Sideswipe, do you read me? DO NOT ENGAGE!"_

Sideswipe cut the communication and said to himself, "Sorry, Magnus. This is personal." Then he hit the gas and sped off.

* * *

Traffic was backed up badly at an intersection of the town, motorists slamming their horns in frustration. The traffic lights appeared to be going haywire and confusing the populace, drawing out the ire between them. It wasn't just the traffic lights. The streetlights surrounding the intersection were flickering on and off. As bizarre as the phenomenon appeared, it paled in comparison to what was about to happen. One motorist inadvertently slammed into the rear of another's car, prompting the driver to storm out of his vehicle to confront them.

Before they could even come to blows, space and time seemed to tear away right in front of them. A breach suddenly opened dead center of the intersection and caused a few people to back away from the event. A large mechanized figure burst forth and tumbled to the street, crushing the two cars involved in the fender bender moments ago. The two drivers were unharmed but each of them trembled at the thought of their insurance going through the roof. But then they turned their attention to the mech as it, _she_ , began to pick herself up.

Windblade struggled to rise up, shaking her head to regain some sense. "Ow… that really hurt!"

Then portal behind her fluctuated and another object sprung out. Windblade recognized it immediately as the top half of a Chimera, somehow still functional. Even without its legs, the Chimera attacked Windblade before she had a chance to defend herself. The Chimera pinned her to the ground and swiped at Windblade, who fought from underneath to get free. She had to block the Chimera's free hand when it tried to move on her face… and then the Chimera's face was blown apart. The left shoulder took a hit as well before the Chimera slumped down onto Windblade.

Windblade pushed the dead Chimera off of her before getting to a knee. That was when she saw a red mechanoid stomping toward her. She felt a brief moment of relief when she noticed the Autobot insignia on his chassis, but that relief quickly vanished when he took a shot at her with his gun. Windblade managed to sidestep the shot before ducking under another one.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" she shouted.

"You're not getting off this planet alive, Decepticon." Sideswipe shouted.

"What? I'm not a Decepticon, Sideswipe." Windblade claimed, and then realized that she just blurted out Sideswipe's name by mistake.

Sideswipe glared at the newcomer and asked, "How do you know my name?"

"Uh… it's complicated. Look, it's really important that I see Optimus Prime." Windblade said.

Sideswipe claimed, "Not going to happen, Decepticon. Say goodbye."

Before Sideswipe could pull the trigger, Ultra Magnus suddenly pulled up right in front of his line of fire. Windblade saw her opportunity and made a run for it. Sideswipe reacted fired a quick volley, barely missing Windblade as she ducked around a corner. The blast hit a department store building and sent Humans scattering. Ultra Magnus immediately transformed and grabbed Sideswipe's gun, pushing Sideswipe back a few steps.

"What the scrap are you doing, Magnus? I had the shot."

"You're going to put innocent people in harm's way, Sideswipe. Stand down, now." Ultra Magnus commanded.

"She's a fragging Decepticon, Magnus, and you let her get away. Besides, who cares about the Humans?" Sideswipe shouted.

"You don't know that she's a Decepticon or not, and we won't find out if you kill her straight out of the gate." Ultra Magnus stated.

"I killed her friend, didn't I?" Sideswipe said before he pushed passed Ultra Magnus and transformed.

Sideswipe sped off without another word, leaving Ultra Magnus alone to wonder just what had gotten into him. His optics settled on the destroyed Chimera sprawled across the street. It didn't look like anything Ultra Magnus had seen before. It didn't appear to be Decepticon or Autobot origin, nor did it bear the insignia of either faction. Ultra Magnus needed answers and the only one who could provide them was the mysterious newcomer… and he had to find her before Sideswipe did.

* * *

Windblade ran through the streets of the town, being as careful as possible to avoid stamping on any Humans or crushing on cars along the way. She looked back for no more than a nanosecond. Sideswipe was racing toward her in vehicle form. He weaved through traffic without slowing down. Windblade looked back in front of her and saw that she was dangerously close to slamming into an oncoming tractor- trailer. On instinct, she tried to activate her wing turbines but they failed. It was only then that she realized that her wings were damaged, likely from jumping through the portal.

Windblade still managed to avoid being struck by the trailer and she bolted, while Sideswipe was stopped entirely by the truck when it skidded to a halt. Sideswipe transformed and took another shot at Windblade, but she disappeared around another corner before the shot struck her. Angered by the missed shot, Sideswipe hopped over the trailer, transformed and continued the pursuit. Elsewhere, Windblade rounded into an alleyway but realized too late that it was a dead end. She spun around only to find that Sideswipe had already cornered her. The only way out was up, but the damage to her wings meant Windblade couldn't transform.

"What's wrong, 'Con? Get your wings clipped?" Sideswipe mocked.

"I told you I'm not a Decepticon. It's really important that I speak to Optimus Prime." Windblade stated.

"And it's really important that you know that that's not happening." Sideswipe said.

"Sideswipe," Ultra Magnus suddenly shouted, and the red, white and blue car carrier arrived and transformed. He stood directly in Sideswipe's firing line, also holding his rifle for the sake of it. "Stand down."

"Or what, Magnus? You're going to shoot me and let the 'Con live?" Sideswipe challenged.

"Don't tempt me, Sideswipe. You've already caused enough issues with the Human today. So for the LAST time… stand down." Ultra Magnus demanded

Sideswipe reluctantly lowered his gun. He said, "Fine, but don't blame me if she shoots you in the back."

Ultra Magnus was already flustered enough without Sideswipe worsening everything, but he refocused his attention on the newcomer. Keeping his rifle trained on her, Ultra Magnus at least proved that he wasn't willing to take any chances. For her part, Windblade put her arms up to show that she was no threat. She'd briefly examined her wings and noted the damage done to them. She surmised that had they been undamaged, she could've transformed and flown away. But either Ultra Magnus or Sideswipe would've shot her down. Ultra Magnus finally addressed her directly.

"You've got ten micro seconds to tell us who you are and where you came from." he said to her.

"Then we might let you escape with your dignity, sweet spark." Sideswipe claimed, but inwardly, he was lying.

"Look, I can explain everything, but it's important that I speak to Optimus Prime as soon as possible." Windblade stated.

"Why? Who are you and who sent you here?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"And how do you know my name?" Sideswipe added.

"I know all your names because we've meant before… just not yet. My name is Windblade and, well this is going to be hard to believe… I was sent here by Optimus Prime… and Megatron… from the future."

Ultra Magnus and Sideswipe exchanged wary glances and tried to process what this newcomer had just told them. Her claim that she came from the future wasn't entirely farfetched. But the part about her being sent by both Optimus Prime and Megatron was a stretch. Sideswipe didn't believe Windblade's claims and was about to raise his gun on her once again. Windblade saw this and was set to further explain herself before she heard a tapping sound in her chassis. The compartment opened and a young woman appeared from within, startling Ultra Magnus and Sideswipe.

She tried to catch her breath and looked up at Windblade. "I think… I made a mess in your servos, Windy."

Windblade grimaced from the knowledge and replied, "Ugh, that's just wrong."

The girl weakly smiled before she turned to see the two Autobots looking bewildered at her. "Hi! I'm Sam."

Unbeknownst to the Autobots and their quarry, a mechanized bird loomed high above them on a nearby rooftop. A scope was propped on its head, with a lens shifted in and out. The lens focused on the Autobots and on the mysterious newcomer in particular. As the last remaining Minicon, the Decepticon spy bird Buzzsaw was tasked with learning all there was to know about the Autobots. He'd learned something new now, so he took off from the rooftop and flew skyward.

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

The mountain hideout was destroyed but several miles away from the site, a large boulder was moved seemingly from underneath. Optimus Prime emerged from a hidden passageway that was built years ago. He looked toward the site and mused at its destruction. Turning back, Optimus Prime helped Bumblebee out of the hole, who in turn assisted Arcee. Out of a corner of the hole, Megatron pulled himself out and Brainstorm was the last to escape.

Megatron reached down into the hole for something and Optimus Prime helped him. They hoisted the mangled husk of Dreadwing. Half of his body was torched and torn half to the Pit. Arcee and Bumblebee also helped to finally pull Dreadwing from the hole, and Dreadwing crumpled to the ground. Megatron knelt down beside his lone fellow Decepticon and, in a surprising gesture of unity, clasped Dreadwing's hand in his own.

"It was foolish of you to try to fight Flamewar alone, Dreadwing." Megatron reprimanded.

Dreadwing struggled against the injuries and replied, "I had to do something to ensure you live to fight again, Megatron."

"Not just me." Megatron said, looking at the four Autobots around him.

Dreadwing weakly said, "It's a shame that I will not be alive to continue the fight alongside my leader… my… friend." With those final words and his optics dimmed to black, Dreadwing shut down.

Megatron laid Dreadwing's limp form down as it turned ash gray, and Optimus Prime placed his hand on his rival's shoulder. "I am sorry, Megatron." he said.

Megatron looked at Optimus before pushing his hand away and standing up. "He was a fool just as I said, but he did buy us time enough to escape."

"Speaking of time, do you think Windblade made it to the past?" Arcee asked.

"That's hard to say. The Time Bridge was destroyed when the whole base came down. Windblade is effectively stranded in the past with no way of returning." Brainstorm explained.

"So she's on her own?" Bumblebee concluded.

"Not necessarily, Bumblebee. With any luck, Windblade will have made contact with the Autobots of the past and warned them of the coming threat from M.E.C.H. But we can't worry about that now; we are exposed." Optimus Prime said.

"You're right, Optimus. We're all out in the open and the Chimeras are going to find us whether or not Flamewar is leading them." Brainstorm stated.

"We know that the Chimeras can not track us is our vehicular forms, but they will still find us should we remain together in one group. So for right now, we all need to disperse and separate." Optimus said.

"Split up? With all due respect, Optimus, that's suicide. The Chimeras can still rely on tried and true line of sight, so if they spot one of us alone, we're scrapped." Bumblebee said.

"And if we all stay together, then the Chimeras wipes us all out in fell swoop. As painful as it may seem, separating may be the only option available to us." Megatron claimed.

"I'm sure you're chomping at the bit at this idea, Megatron." Arcee said, and Megatron only glared at her.

"I hate to say it, Arcee, but I have to agree with Optimus and Megatron," Brainstorm said. "It _is_ a huge risk to split up and I'm not discounting that, but doing so at least makes it easier for each one of us to stay a step ahead of any Chimera patrols we come across."

"And I would argue that staying together at least gives a fighting chance against the Chimeras if they find us again. Personally, I'm sick of running." Arcee said.

"As am I, Arcee. But for right now, we have to separate… and hope that Windblade can accomplish her mission."

"Well, my Spark is clear," Megatron said as he placed a hand on Optimus Prime's weary shoulder. "Stay alive, Optimus Prime. When this is over, _I'll_ be the one to crush you with my bear hands."

Optimus Prime leered at Megatron and coldly replied, "You already have, Megatron."

Megatron smiled at Optimus Prime before giving the Autobots one final glance of contempt mixed with respect. Then he assumed his alternate vehicle form of a tiltrotor aircraft before taking off into the air. Once he was gone, Optimus Prime looked back at the destroyed mountain base. He'd assumed that Flamewar had to have survived and was digging her way out, meaning time wasn't on the Autobot's side. Looking back at his remaining Autobots, Optimus Prime gave them a nod to act.

With reluctance, the Autobots transformed one by one. Brainstorm was the first to assume his alternate form and took off into the air. Arcee transformed next and drove off into the distance. Only Bumblebee remained, and he was the most reluctant to follow the orders of his leader and friend. Optimus Prime gave Bumblebee a telling nod that he was aware of the scout's trepidation, but he knew Bumblebee couldn't go against his orders no matter how much he was against them.

"I hope we see each other again, Optimus." Bumblebee said.

"As do I, my friend," Optimus Prime replied before Bumblebee transformed and drove away into the distance. Now alone, Optimus Prime whispered, "Til all are one." Then he transformed and drove away.

Afterward, a single hand punched through the ruins of the mountain base. With effort, Flamewar dug her way out of the rubble until she was now standing amid the chaos alone. She surveyed the scene and found bits and pieces of dead metal from her Chimeras, but that hardly concerned her at all. The Transformers had escaped again, but Flamewar knew that sooner or later, their time would eventually run out.

* * *

Author's Note: That's one more chapter in the books, and Windblade and Sam have made it to the past. Sideswipe isn't too keen on Windblade from the start but will see where that goes. The Decepticon spy bird Buzzsaw, or the yellow version of Laserbeak, debuts here, but don't expect to see the return of Soundwave.

Since the story, or at least the first half because this is a two-part story, involves time travel, you can expect shifting between present and future. I'll be categorizing each shift as either 'present' or 'future'… but yeah, it may get weird.

Don't forget to review and I'll be back soon.


	4. Present Dangers, Future Threats

Disclaimer: Nice to see the story getting a few reviews, though it still early to expect more that I get I suppose. That's all good, though. I won't complain.

Like usual, I do not own the rights to the Transformers Franchise.

* * *

Chapter IV

 _(Present Timeline)_

The Decepticon warship _Harbinger_ hovered ever so ominously above the Earth in the cold emptiness of Space. A single object flew up from the planet toward the monstrous vessel, too small for the guns to pinpoint it and shoot it back down to Earth. Luckily for Buzzsaw, the guns recognized the mechanical bird as an ally and allowed him to approach without incident. Buzzsaw flew around the hull of the great ship and found his way into an open hatch.

Once inside the _Harbinger_ , Buzzsaw flew through the dark halls toward the bridge of the ship. There, Shockwave monitored the goings on among the crew. Buzzsaw landed on the Science Officer's shoulder and connected an elongated cord to the back of his head. Shockwave studied the images that flowed into his processor. As this was going on, the crewmembers gave a wary looks. The twins Wingspan and Pounce exchanged worried glances while helmsman Skullcrusher snarled at the annoying bird.

Sitting in the Captain's Chair, Dreadwing busied himself with other things before Shockwave finally spoke out. "Dreadwing, you have the bridge. I am going to speak with Megatron."

Dreadwing looked up at Shockwave and said to him, "I've had the bridge ever since I sat down in this chair, Shockwave."

Shockwave was already on his way out when he replied, "Do not get too comfortable, Dreadwing, lest you suffer a similar fate to that which first felled Starscream."

Dreadwing sneered at Shockwave he left, and was then started by Buzzsaw landing on the armrest and squawking at him. "Get your beak out of my face, bird."

Buzzsaw simply squawked back in response.

* * *

Megatron stood amid the many ancient relics of the Original Thirteen Primes previously collected by the dearly departed Thunderwing. In retrospect, it was quite the collection to behold. But the Star Saber, the one relic that Thunderwing sought after the most, was in the hands of Optimus Prime. The Phase Shifter was also lost to the Autobot Breakaway. Megatron was many things, but a collector was not one of them. He cared little if at all about the past, instead looking toward the future. With the Autobot/Decepticon truce broken, Megatron thought of nothing more that utter conquest over the Autobots, as well as over Earth and Cybertron.

Shockwave entered the relic's vault with a slow pace but enough urgency to draw Megatron's attention. "Buzzsaw has returned from Earth, Megatron."

Rather than address the forthcoming news, Megatron trailed into another subject. "Did you know that many of these trinkets were developed by the great Solus Prime?"

Shockwave opted to indulge Megatron and continue the train of thought. "As recall from ancient texts, Solus Prime was murdered by Megatronus, the Prime who would later become the Fallen. He used the fabled Requiem Blaster to do so."

"That is quite ironic, considering the personal feelings that shared for each other," Megatron mused as his fingers traced the grooves of the Requiem Blaster. "But enough about that… what have you to report, Shockwave?"

"Buzzsaw has returned from Earth with news about a recent arrival that is currently in Autobot custody; a female Transformer of undetermined origin. That is _not_ the most interesting development…" Shockwave explained.

Megatron turned to directly address the Decepticon Science Officer. "Oh?"

"The _Harbinger's_ scanning instruments detected an energy surge near the location of where the Autobots apprehended the new arrival. The energy signature suggests a temporal distortion." Shockwave continued.

"As in time travel?" Megatron surmised.

"That is not inaccurate."

Megatron thought about it for a long while. A time traveler; it was certainly nothing wasn't heard of before. It was something that drew a comparison to a similar incident involving Starscream… like everything else that dead fool mucked up. But this new situation seemed to be something different. It begged the question of who that new arrival was and where… or when she came from. Megatron felt his interest piquing and looked to Shockwave, who was awaiting the next word of his leader.

"The news of this mysterious individual presents a unique set of circumstances, Shockwave. I think a formal introduction is in order." Megatron said.

"Our forces remain somewhat depleted, even with the Constructicons and Combaticons. Fortunately, I have notified a Decepticon vessel entering the Sol System. They will be rendezvousing with the _Harbinger_ shortly." Shockwave said.

"I've heard terrible stories about this particular group of Decepticons and the treatment of their quarries. I can't wait to meet them." Megatron said with a sadistic grin.

* * *

Windblade sat quietly in her cell in Autobot City, alternating her view between the walls at the force field blocking her exit. Sam wasn't with her, apparently having been taken elsewhere. It worried Windblade to not have her best friend at her side, and it also angered her that was stupid enough to bring Sam along in the first place. It was Sam's idea, but Windblade could've… _**should've**_ refused. Now, Sam was somewhere else in the city and Windblade was alone in a cell held by the Autobots, and not one of them believes her claims. She had to hold out hope that Optimus Prime would be different.

The thing was, at that very moment that she was alone, Windblade felt as if she actually wasn't alone. She felt another presence in her cell… or rather… around her cell, beyond the walls and the force field. Either that, or Windblade was starting to go mad from the isolation. The she heard a humming sound that was low and deep but not malevolent. For the sake of her personal sanity, Windblade tried to ignore the hum and wait for her inevitable meeting with Optimus Prime.

Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus spent the majority of his time staring at Windblade through a two-way window, grateful that Windblade couldn't see him. He'd been waiting for a while for Optimus Prime to return from Washington DC, and at the same time, he had to keep Sideswipe from confronting the prisoner personally. Ultra Magnus felt as if he needed to add more to his ever-growing list of reasons why he never wanted to be leader of the Autobots. After a long while, the doors slid open and Optimus Prime walked in. Elita One had accompanied him into the room, Ultra Magnus moved to greet his Commander.

With a strong handshake between them, Ultra Magnus asked, "Optimus, how did it go in Washington DC?"

"It was somewhat less than ideal, Ultra Magnus. President Keller's trust in the Autobots following the Golden Gate incident has been considerably shaken." Optimus Prime said.

"Not just him apparently. Humanity as a whole has become far less trusting of us ever since Megatron's return. It's gotten to the point of us actually receiving something called hate mail." Elita One said.

Ultra Magnus looked dumbfounded at Elita One and said, "Hate mail?"

Elita exasperatedly crossed her arms and replied, "Yeah, the World Wide Web is a strange place."

"Speaking of which, Sideswipe and I picked up a female Transformer with no apparent affiliation to either the Autobots or Decepticons. She was accompanied by a Human female who we're keeping separate for medical and psychological evaluation." Ultra Magnus reported to Optimus Prime.

Optimus looked into the window at the prisoner, who was pacing around her cell as if searching for something. Strange. "What've you learn about her so far?" he asked.

"She identified herself as Windblade, and the Human girl was identified as Sam, no known surname as of yet." Ultra Magnus said.

"Getting back to this Windblade character, and you're going to love this, Optimus; she claims to be from the future." Elita One said.

Optimus Prime looked at Elita One with a slightly bewildered expression before he asked, "Has she said anything more beyond these claims?"

"Only that it's imperative that she speak specifically to you. Sideswipe thinks it's a Decepticon trick and that we should put her down the first chance we get, but it's ultimately your call." Elita One stated.

"Sideswipe's desire for revenge has made him more difficult to work with, even putting the Humans in danger when we can ill afford to lose their trust. He may be becoming a liability." Ultra Magnus added.

Again, Optimus Prime considered the words of his trusted friends and replied, "Sideswipe's anger over the loss of Sunstreaker is understandable, but regaining Humanity's trust remains ever paramount. I will speak to him later, but for now, I'll need to entertain our guest." Optimus Prime said and started out of the room.

Elita One said out loud, "Optimus, Sideswipe might have a point about our prisoner, and there's nothing to indicate this isn't a Decepticon ploy."

Optimus stopped at the threshold and turned his head and shoulder to Elita. "I hold no illusions that this isn't another of Megatron's schemes, but given that this Windblade bears neither faction insignia, I believe there is no harm in simply granting her request for an audience."

* * *

Windblade couldn't help it. She had to figure out where the humming was coming from and she was pacing all around her cell to find it. The hum seemed to be getting deeper at a slow and steady rate. Then her body tensed up and her optics dimmed. She didn't deactivate suddenly as she was still standing and fully functional, but now she could hear the hum within her processor. It started to sound like a words spoken in a subtle tone, as if the city itself was trying to speak directly to Windblade. Windblade's optics lit up and her City Speaker functions kicked into high gear, but it ended just as quickly when she heard metallic footstep behind her.

She spun around to see Optimus Prime standing beyond the force field. The humming sound was gone from her audio receivers, but Optimus was quick to notice the bewildered look on her face. Windblade worked to compose herself enough to address Optimus Prime directly despite the force field standing between them. For his part, Optimus studied the prisoner with great curiosity and noting the uniqueness of her frame. He decided it was time to address her.

"It has come to my understanding that you wish to speak with me." Optimus Prime said.

Windblade gave a nod and replied, "I guess you can say that."

Optimus took one step closer to the force field, but he never his blue optics off of the prisoner. "I've been informed that you identify yourself as Windblade, and that you claim to come from the future."

"Yeah… 30 Earth years from the future." Windblade confirmed.

Optimus was curious but he didn't show, instead asking, "Who was in that sent you here?"

Windblade fought the nerves back as she replied, "You did… you and Megatron."

Optimus Prime's curiosity piqued somewhat before he asked, "In what way is Megatron involved?"

"Well, in the future, the two of you are leading the last remaining Transformers against the Chimeras." Windblade said.

"Chimeras?"

"They're a range of Human/Transformer hybrid machines created by a pro-Human military splinter group called M.E.C.H. A man named Silas Bishop leads this splinter group. You told me… well, future you, told me that his group recovered the body of Josie Beller after the attack that happen here at Autobot City." Windblade said.

"The remains of Josie Beller were presumed missing following the battle, but we had never been able to locate them despite a thorough search. To what end does this Silas Bishop wish to achieve?" Optimus asked.

"His intentions are to reverse-engineer the technologies that turned Beller into a walking Circuit Breaker to create the first Chimera dubbed Flamewar. Then, Flamewar was used as template to create more Chimeras to wipe out the Transformers." Windblade further explain.

"Something went wrong, I assume." Optimus Prime deduced.

Windblade shrugged and nodded in the affirmative before she continued, "Somehow, Beller's consciousness took control of Flamewar, and then she led the Chimeras on a full on assault against not just the Transformers, but the Humans as well. 30 Earth years later… along came Armageddon."

* * *

Back in the other room, Ultra Magnus and Elita One had been listening through the intercom, and Ultra Magnus asked Elita One, "You believe what she's saying?"

Elita One replied, "If Optimus believes it, that's good enough for me."

"Time travel's not unheard of, but I don't completely buy this story about Human/Transformers hybrid." Magnus admitted.

"I did protect Daniel and Verity from a Pretender… in case you forgot that." Elita pointed out.

"Did she lie her wings off yet?" a voice asked, and Magnus and Elita turned to see Sideswipe at the entrance.

"Optimus is still interrogating her as we speak." Magnus said.

"I still think this has Megatron written all over it." Sideswipe said.

"He was brought up. We'll see what Optimus says when he's finished in there." Elita One said.

" _If what you tell me is true…"_

* * *

"…then what is Silas' motivation behind creating these war machines?" Optimus Prime asked.

"Well you, I mean future you, speculated that Silas was, or is, acting on a personal vendetta. I don't know what his motivations are but I do know that whatever the case may be, we have to stop him within the next 5 Earth days." Windblade concluded.

"Silas will unleash the Chimeras within 5 Earth days?" Optimus Prime repeated.

"I know it's crazy, but it's the truth. There was only a handful of Transformers left when I was sent back in time, including you. I don't know if they're still alive, but I owe it to them to do everything within my power to change the past so there's a better future for them." Windblade said.

Optimus Prime went silent and turned away from Windblade. He was considering every word she told him, and every detail seemed as farfetched as he expected. Yet, there seemed to be merit behind her words. Optimus reconsidered the most recent events: the Golden Gate incident, Josie Beller's transformation, the return of Megatron and most recently, the fragile state of trust from the Humans. Any one of these events could've acted as catalysts to the rise of the Chimeras.

Optimus Prime looked at his reflection in the two-way mirror, but he was looking directly at Ultra Magnus and Elita One and knowing they're looking back at him. Despite not having the Transformer equivalent of telepathy, he had a good feeling that they knew exactly what he was thinking. Windblade's story of a future war torn Earth where Humans and Transformers were being exterminated may have been fantastical at best. But given recent events, Optimus Prime had no reason not to believe her.

Turning back to the cell and seeing Windblade looking back at him, Optimus Prime reached for the nearby console and pressed a button. The field deactivated. Windblade was slightly surprised the turn of events and she was somewhat cautious to exit. Optimus Prime beckoned her forward and showed no signs of hostile intent, and Windblade took the gesture as possible proof that, at least for the time being, Optimus believed her story.

"I suggest that you go see Triage as soon as you're able to and have your conversion cog repaired." he said.

"Does… does this mean you believe me?" Windblade asked.

"There may be some merit to your claims, Windblade, but it would be foolhardy of me or my fellow Autobots to take you on your word alone. So until we can confirm what you've told me about Silas and M.E.C.H., you will have to remain under close surveillance." Optimus Prime said.

"And Sam?"

"You will find your Human companion with Triage and Verity Carlo in the infirmary. One of my Autobots will accompany you there." Optimus said as he left the cellblock.

* * *

As soon as Optimus Prime reentered the opposite room, Sideswipe instantly snapped, "With all due respect, Optimus, I think you're making a big mistake."

Ultra Magnus met with Optimus Prime and added, "I kind of have to agree with Sideswipe on this one, Optimus. For all we know, Windblade could be a Decepticon spy and she's feedin misinformation to throw us off."

"Or there might be some true behind it. She seems wholly convinced in her little story about traveling from a future that may or may not come to pass." Elita One said.

"I hold no illusion that this isn't one of Megatron's schemes, but it would be foolhardy to not investigate Windblade's claims. Ultra Magnus, you and Elita One confer with Telatraan II. Find out any information you can about Silas Bishop and M.E.C.H." Optimus Prime said.

"You think we'll find anything worthwhile?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"If Windblade is to believed, we must take every precaution available to us." Optimus Prime replied.

"And what about her? Are we going to just let her roam freely around Autobot City?" Sideswipe asked.

"As I said, we will take every available precaution. To that end, Sideswipe, I am appointing you as Windblade's guardian." Optimus Prime said.

Sideswipe was bewildered by the news of his assignment, but Optimus Prime left before he could object. Undaunted, Sideswipe chased after Optimus. The Leader of the Autobots was halfway down the hall when Sideswipe caught up to him. Rather than simply grab Prime's arm or even call his name out loud, Sideswipe lived up to his own namesake and stepped right in front of Optimus. Only then did Optimus halt his walk.

"Optimus, you lost me back there. Why am I being made to watch that lying pile of scrap?"

"Because you need it, Sideswipe. It has not escaped my attention that you have not been the same since the loss of Sunstreaker. Your anger towards the Decepticons and continued insubordination to follow protocol has added to the already difficult task of regaining Humanity's trust in the Autobots." Optimus Prime explained.

"Oh yeah? What about when Hotrod almost got his own Spark snuffed out by Thunderwing? What would've happened if Hotrod never recovered?" Sideswipe said.

Optimus leaned over and eclipsed Sideswipe, forcing him to take a step back. "That is not the point, Sideswipe. You're recent actions have been based less on the protection of Humanity and more on your apparent need to avenge the loss of your twin. But the appearance of Windblade and her claims of a future apocalypse cannot be simply ignored."

"Maybe not by you but as far as I'm concerned, she's lying. If that's the case, I'll frag her myself and send her head back to Megatron."

Optimus leaned even closer but Sideswipe didn't budge this time. "Then you will be no better than Dreadwing. Understand this; you will take absolutely NO aggressive action against Windblade while she is under your charge and she is not to leave Autobot City unless you are accompanying her. Is that clear?"

Sideswipe had no choice but swallow his pride and reply to Optimus Prime, "Clear!"

Satisfied that he'd gotten in the final word, Optimus Prime went on his way only to stop a few feet from Sideswipe. Without turning to address him, Optimus said, "Revenge will not bring Sunstreaker back. If you want to avenge your brother and every Autobot we've lost, do so honorably."

Sideswipe said nothing in reply and Optimus took his leave without another word. When he turned around Sideswipe caught Windblade at the entrance to the cellblock and having apparently caught the whole exchange. Windblade saw the resentful glare in his optics, and then her servos tensed up when Sideswipe started coming toward her. She stood her ground and was careful to not give him a reason to attack right then and there. Eventually, Sideswipe was face to face with Windblade, and Windblade didn't back down.

"Just so we're clear, I'm going to be keeping a close optic on you. If you think about slinking off to Megatron…" Sideswipe said.

"You don't have to worry about that, Sideswipe. I'm not going to try anything outside of making sure that my future is changed for the better. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to find the infirmary." Windblade replied before she walked passed Sideswipe in a huff.

Sideswipe sighed and grabbed Windblade by the arm, and Windblade thought for a moment that he was going to attack. But Sideswipe pointed his finger in an opposite direction and said, "The infirmary's this way."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Flamewar stood over the grayed husked of the dearly departed Dreadwing and she stepped over it, kicking the head as she went. She found tracks in the ground as three Chimeras scanned the surrounding area. The tracks gave the telltale sign of a large multi-wheeled vehicle, and Flamewar instantly deduced that the track belong to Optimus Prime. There were other tracks in the ground, indicating Bumblebee and Arcee but nothing to pinpoint the exact locations of Megatron or Brainstorm. It was still enough for Flamewar to surmise that the Transformers had separated.

Standing back up and with her optics glowing menacingly, Flamewar swung her arm out and shouted, "Spread out and find them, but leave Optimus Prime to me."

The Chimeras gave a collective hum before they displayed another talent; they too had the ability to transform. Two of them assume nightmarish ground vehicles and sped off in separate directions. The third of them assumed an even more frightening aerial vehicle form and took off in the dark sky. Left alone, Flamewar returned her gaze to the track left behind by her number one quarry. She transformed into a black motorcycle replete with flame decals, as if she emerge from the Pit itself. Gunning her anger-fueled engine, Flamewar raced off into the distance and followed the tracks. She would follow them straight to Optimus Prime… and then she'd kill him… slowly.

* * *

Author's Note: That's its for this chapter, where Megatron has received word of Windblade's arrival. I made mention of a group of Decepticons that will be appeared later on. I wonder…

Meanwhile, the Autobots are somewhat skeptical of Windblade's story about Silas and M.E.C.H. Sideswipe in particular doesn't trust her, due to his anger over Sunstreaker's death in the previous story.

The pairing of Sideswipe and Windblade could be seen as a callback to their first meeting in _Transformers: Robots In Disguise_ , though the roles are somewhat reversed here.

And, what was that strange humming that only Windblade could hear? Hmmm...

So that's it. Don't forget to leave a review or two and I'll be back soon with another chapter. Peace!


	5. Tainted Justice

Disclaimer: Lo and behold, I have another chapter ready to go for the reading masses of this crazy world.

Like usual, I don't own the rights to the Transformers franchise.

* * *

Chapter V

 _(Present Timeline)_

"I've reviewed your recommendations for your special project, Silas, and I need to absolutely blunt and clear; I don't like the idea of these Chimeras you've been pitching." President Keller said very directly to the man sitting across from in in the Oval Office of the White House.

Silas Bishop was a military man through and through. Tall, muscular and tough despite being in his early to mid 50's, Silas still carried himself with pride and took care of his physique. That was half the man he actually was. Silas also had a keen scientific mind. His technological expertise had helped advance the military to limits that were previously unreachable. Above all else, Silas was committed to security of his country. At this point in his career, he felt that the Chimeras were the best chance in the event the Transformers ever went rogue. Apparently, Keller wasn't sold on the ambitious move. It didn't stop Silas from pushing.

"Mr. President, you've no idea just how much I agree with your reservations on the Chimera Project and in truth, it's something that I myself have considerable concern for." Silas claimed in a cool and measured tone.

"I'm sure you do." Keller replied, soundly not entirely convinced.

Silas continued, "But let's turn the clocks back two decades or so; ever since they first appeared on Earth all the way back in 1984, the Decepticons have made countless attempts to siphon Earth's resources for their personal gain."

"The Autobots have always stepped in to stop them when we needed them to." Keller stated.

"That's true, but at what cost? Their war has caused untold amounts of devastation, cost billions of dollars and caused the death of countless innocent Human civilians. Add to that the fact the Autobots have their own city packed to the brim with advanced weaponry…"

"Let me stop you right there, Silas," Keller said, silencing Silas right at that moment. "It was vetted right here in this office to grant the Autobots permission to build their city as a last line of defense against the Decepticons."

"Maybe so, but what's to stop the Autobots from turning all of that artillery on the Human race? At the very least, my Chimeras could act as a deterrent against any possible future aggression from the Transformers as a whole." Silas stated.

"Who's to say your Chimera Project is a good idea to begin with?" Keller asked.

"Mr. President…" Silas started to reply, but Keller put his hand up to silence him again.

Keller continued, "The idea of a range of Human/Transformer hybrid machines could cause a firestorm of controversy. Human rights groups would be breaking down the White House doors. There'd be protests across the country, to say nothing about what the Autobots or the Decepticons would do if word got out. Put straight to the point; it'd be pandemonium."

"Hence the reason we should keep it strictly behind closed doors. The Autobots, for the most part, might be keeping the Decepticons at bay for now, but what about tomorrow or a year from now? Or two years? At the very least, you could consider the Chimera Project as a last resort." Silas said.

"I've already made a decision and it stands as of now; your Chimera Project isn't going to fly." Keller concluded, and Silas knew he was defeated.

* * *

Silas stepped out of the Oval Office upset but not dejected, annoyed but not surprised. He wasn't surprised that Keller denied him the opportunity to push forward with the Chimera Project, but he was annoyed that Keller didn't even bother to consider it. Looking back at the closed door, Silas wanted to storm right back into the Oval Office and demand Keller reconsider. But he wasn't stupid. As a soldier sworn to service to defend his country, he knew that barging into the Oval Office to more or less threaten the US President would've been a fatal mistake. Yet, Silas consider there to be many more, far worse mistake that a person could make.

Denying the go ahead for the Chimera Project was, at least to Silas, a HUGE mistake that Keller was making. But Keller was as stubborn as any other politician that came before him. Convincing him of the need for the Chimera Project would've been like pulling teeth from a hippo. He had no choice at the moment but wait… wait for the Transformers to do something so destructive and heinous that Keller would've had no choice to approve the Chimera Project. He hated being stonewalled.

Silas looked upon his watch: 35 minute to 1:30 PM. Silas cursed under his breath. He was going to be late for his flight to Portland. Straightening out his uniform, Silas began to march out through the halls of the White House. Yet no sooner did he begin the trek, another man in a bluish-gray suit and tie and with short, auburn hair suddenly confronted him. He looked somewhere within his mid-to-late thirties with nary a wrinkle to his face.

"Col. Bishop… perhaps I can trouble you for a short word." The man said.

Silas wasn't interested in the intruding man and pushed passed him. "If you looking for an exclusive, go look somewhere else. I have a flight to catch."

"But this won't take more than a minute. It concerns you little project." The man said, stopping Silas in his tracks.

Silas looked at the man and asked, "What do you know about it? Who are you?"

"Joshua Joyce."

"Never heard of you." Silas said.

"Well, I'm one of those anonymous types. Your Chimera Project has caught my attention, and I was thinking that you and I could work out an arrangement." Joshua Joyce stated.

Silas instantly didn't like this Joshua Joyce, and the fact that he revealed so little of himself bolstered that dislike. "All do respect, Mr. Joyce…"

"Please, call me Joshua."

"Joshua… all due respect, I don't take kindly to strange people skulking in dark corner waiting to ambush me. See, that mentality is a byproduct of my years spent in the military." Silas stated.

"I suppose that would be a wise policy. I can respect that." Joshua said.

"Then respect it at your own time. I have a flight to catch." Silas said and continued on, pushing passed Joshua on his way out.

"I won't keep you, Colonel. You clearly have places to be, and people to meet. Loved ones, I assume," Joshua stated, halting Silas once again. "Perhaps we'll meet again down the line. Have a pleasant day."

Silas had stopped walking but never turned to face the man, but he quickly spun back around to confront. He was already gone and there was no trace of him anywhere. No one else was there in the hall to confirm where he'd gone, leaving Silas flustered and annoyed. He looked back down at his watch, which no indicated that he had 29 minutes to get on his flight. He looked around for one final time to see if Joshua Joyce was anywhere nearby and found nothing. Putting the mystery man out of his mind, Silas headed out.

* * *

A few minutes later, Silas reached his personal transport outside the gates of the White House. He took one more look around and still found no sign of the man he'd encountered from before. Giving it no further thought, Silas entered his transport before it drove away into the mild traffic.

But unbeknownst to Silas, Joshua Joyce was watching him from a distance. He'd gone incognito, a trench coat concealing his suit from before. A minor smirk crept onto his face as he watched transport drive off. More civilian passerby moved around Joshua and then as if in the literal blink of an eye, he was gone as quickly as he appeared.

* * *

Sam hated lying still on a cold slab of metal with a light shining into her eyes. She hated even worse not knowing if Windblade was okay. The saving grace of the ordeal was that the person shining the light was Verity Carlo, the young woman who would one day be her own mother. Sam couldn't say a word, not without screwing up the timeline. But seeing her future mom looking back at her without realizing that Sam was her future daughter sent chills up and down Sam's spine. The metal slab that was supposed to pass for a patient's bed didn't help.

"Well looks like you've gotten away with a clean bill of health, time travel notwithstanding." Verity said before she stepped aside.

Sam was allowed to sit up and she rubbed her weary eyes as if she'd awoken from a dream. "Wow, I forgot how a light could be so bright."

"Just be thankful that you can see anything at all. My little Human assistant can be a little overzealous with the smallest tasks." Triage spouted without turning his gaze away from the monitor across the infirmary.

"Is he always so cheerfully grumpy?" Sam asked.

"Triage is an acquired taste. You'll get used to it." Verity claimed.

"Have you, Mo… Miss Carlo?" Sam asked, nearly slipping up when she addressed Verity.

"More or less… and it's Verity, not Miss Carlo." Verity stated, seemingly missing the inadvertent hint and dismissing it as weariness.

The doors slid open and Sideswipe entered the infirmary followed closely by Windblade, and Sam immediately took notice. "Windy, you're okay."

Windblade knelt down to meet her best friend, replying, "Yeah I'm fine, Sam. I'm not completely thrill about having Sideswipe as my handler, but at least Optimus Prime will let us roam free."

Sam was slightly taken about by the news. "He's… your bodyguard!?"

"I'm only doing this because Optimus said so. If either of you even thinks about…" Sideswipe started to say.

"Not here, Sideswipe," Triage snapped before addressing Windblade. "So, you're the alleged Transformer from the future. Windblade, was it?"

Windblade shrugged her wings and replied, "Yep!"

"Hm… all right, sit down on the table and I'll have a look at you." Triage said and beckoned Windblade to the table.

Sideswipe leaned back against the wall with his arms crossed and watched Triage work with Windblade. "You'd better be careful, doc. You've got no idea what this 'Con might be hiding."

"How many times do I have to tall you that I'm not a Decepticon?" Windblade said.

"Until you prove me wrong or until you shoot someone in the back. Take your pick." Sideswipe claimed as if he was challenging Windblade to act.

But it was Triage who snapped, "That's enough, Sideswipe. Please, step outside while I attend to my patient."

Sideswipe heard Triage's words loud and clear and stormed out of the infirmary. Verity watched him leave before she returned her attention briefly to Windblade and Sam, particularly Sam. Verity couldn't shake the feeling that there was something eerily familiar about Sam. Sam looked back at Verity and quickly looked away. Dismissing the feeling at least for the moment, Verity walked out of the infirmary.

When she got outside, Sideswipe was a short distance away from her. Relative to any other Transformer, it would've been a short distance. For Verity, it was a yard and a half away from him but she caught up to Sideswipe. She had to jog to catch him, but it was enough to grab Sideswipe's attention.

"What's with you, Sideswipe? You've been like this ever since the recent battle with the Decepticons." Verity said.

"I thought it'd be pretty obvious." Sideswipe said.

Verity was quick to figure it out. "It's obviously about Sunstreaker, but I'm thinking it's more than that. I think deep down, you're more angry at yourself than you are at the Decepticons and you're taking that anger out on everyone close to you."

"So what if I'm angry at everything and everyone. What difference does it make?" Sideswipe wondered.

"The difference is that your anger over the loss of your brother won't bring him back, and neither will this little bout of Survivor's Guilt you're having now." Verity said.

"What would know about it?" Sideswipe asked.

"I know because Sparkplug Witwicky, Spike's dad, saved my life at the cost of his own. He basically made me a part of this whole outfit without me ever realizing it. Survivor's Guilt sucks and if you don't believe me, ask Hotrod." Verity said.

"I think I'll pass, considering Hotrod got Optimus killed the first time around." Sideswipe bitterly chuckled.

Verity rolled her eyes and stated, "My point is you can't keep living with the guilt of not being able to save Sunstreaker. It's going to make you sick or at least the Autobot equivalent of sick, on the inside. Get rid of it, Sideswipe." Verity said before making her way back to the infirmary.

Sideswipe was left alone with his thoughts, and among them was the image of Sunstreaker lying limp and inert on the ground outside of the city walls. The light dimmed from his optics and his body took on the familiar ashen gray shade to announce his passing. Another image flooded Sideswipe's thought, one of Dreadwing standing over him as he impaled Sunstreaker from behind like a coward. It was enough to force Sideswipe to punch the wall in the hall, and the sound reverberated throughout the hall.

"I'm going to avenge you, brother. I swear it."

* * *

A lone space vessel approached the upper section of the Harbinger and came to a rest on top of the larger ship. Once the smaller ship was adequately secured, the occupants of said ship entered the Harbinger itself. Inside, Megatron, Shockwave and Dreadwing were waiting for the new arrivals. Seven robots entered the ship, but one of them appeared to be restrained with an energon band. Megatron scowled when he saw the prisoner as he was dropped to his knees by one of the other robots. The prisoner looked as shocked to see Megatron as Megatron was angry to see him.

"Meg… Megatron?"

In an instant, Megatron grabbed the prisoner by the neck and hoisted him up off the floor. "Blitzwing. It's been far too long since we've last interacted."

"But… this can't be possible. You're not supposed to be…" Blitzwing struggled under Megatron choking him.

"I'm not supposed to be what? Alive? Galvatron is dead, but I am very much alive and functional. That's more than I can say for you, traitor." Megatron snarled.

"Ahem," one of the robots exclaimed and drew Megatron's attention. "Maybe you should handle you personal issues with this scum bot at a later time. We're here on business in case you hadn't noticed."

Megatron dropped Blitzwing to the floor with a heavy clang and redirected his attention to the apparent leader of the group. He was noticeably tall, roughly the same height as Megatron himself. His armor was comprised of tank treads and a duel gun implement on his right arm, complete with a black and purple color scheme. The most interesting feature that Megatron noticed was the mask; it was virtually identical to the Decepticon symbol. This bot was nothing if not loyal to the name, this was what Megatron thought. He also carried himself with confidence and poise, another trait Megatron appeared to appreciate.

"So, I assume you are the leader this group Decepticon… mercenaries." Megatron said.

"That's right; name's Tarn."

"Tarn… you've adopted the name of one of Cybertron's military city-states." Dreadwing stated.

"I have, but don't stand there expecting an explanation. My reasons are my own and no one else's." Tarn stated coolly and calmly.

"These are your associates." Dreadwing said.

"This is the crew of the _Peaceful Tyranny_ ," Tarn said and introduced his crew by name. "Clench, Off Road, Knock Out, Silhouette and Sun Storm. We call ourselves the Decepticon Justice Division or DJD."

"That's sounds ridiculous." Dreadwing muttered, though only Shockwave could hear him.

Megatron studied each one of Tarn's crew, first noting that they all bore the Decepticon symbol. He started with Clench; this Decepticon was a hulking mass of die-cast metalwork and clearly flight-capable based on the wing implements. The crested helmet and face mask added to his intimidating appearance. His color scheme was black and charcoal gray. Megatron instantly liked Clench despite Clench clearly being taller than him. Clench looked back at Megatron with cold indifference, but he said nothing to indicate any disdain.

Moving on from Clench, Megatron studied Off Road. Off Road was about average-sized compared to Clench, sporting a mostly black and crimson color scheme. Unlike Clench, Off Road was clearly not flight capable and sported heavy-duty wheels. His armor also sported a number of scars, indicate that he'd seen much in the way of battle. Either that, or he was a very unpredicable driver, which reminded Megatron of the long dead Stunticons.

Then there was Knock Out, the most noticeable of the crew so far thanks to his red and silver color scheme. When Megatron approached him, he hardly seemed to notice. Knock Out looked to be adjusting the panels on arms, an indication that he also adopted a ground-based vehicle form. Megatron stopped directly in front of Knock Out, and the smaller Decepticon still failed to register his presence.

"You… Knock Out."

Knock Out finally addressed Megatron and replied, "Oh, you must be Megatron."

"What is your primary function?" Megatron asked.

"My primary function? Why, I'm the Chief Medical Officer for _Peaceful Tyranny_. What's your function?" Knock Out replied, drawing considerable ire from Megatron.

Megatron grabbed hold of Knock Out and snarled, "I am the leader of Decepticons and the Captain of the Harbinger. On this ship, my rule is law and you will respect that law. Am I clear?"

"Crystal clear. Could you perhaps release me now? I just finished buffing my armor." Knock Out said, earning another glare from Megatron and snickers from Silhouette.

Megatron released his hold on Knock Out and moved on to Silhouette. Instantly, Megatron noted a surprising similarity between this particular Peaceful Tyranny crewmember and the Autobot Wrecker Roulette. Were it not for the black and blue color scheme and the Decepticon symbol on her chassis, Megatron would've confused the two of them. Finally coming over to Sun Storm, Megatron felt a more sickening vibe from him.

Sun Storm seemed to carry himself with an air of confidence, or an abundance of overconfidence. Much like Knock Out, Sun Storm truly stood out amongst his peers thanks to his yellowish-orange color scheme and prominent wing implements. The way Sun Storm smirked when Megatron faced him reminded him of Starscream. Megatron looked away for no more than a few microseconds, but he could tell that the smirk hadn't left Sun Storm's face. So he confronted the flyer directly.

"What is your function among the Decepticon Justice Division?" he asked.

Sun Storm's smirk became a grin as he replied, "My function is that of Air Superiority alongside Clench, although my brand of superiority FAR exceed those of my fellow crewmembers. Oh and may I just say that this vessel is a true marvel of Cybertronian engineering…"

"That's enough. You already look like my dearly departed and treacherous former Air Commander Starscream. I don't need you to start talking like him." Megatron snapped.

Tarn chuckled at the interaction as he stated, "Barring his arrogant belief that he's better that everyone else, Sun Storm is still a capable fighter."

"He'd better be." Dreadwing muttered, and this time Tarn heard him.

"I don't work with slouches. Every single member of the DJD has earned his or her place aboard the _Peaceful Tyranny_." Tarn claimed.

"As long as they can do the job for which they are required." Dreadwing said.

"That all depends on the job." Silhouette stated while she crossed her arms.

"That information will be made available to you soon enough. Dreadwing, take Blitzwing to the holding cells so that I may deal with him later." Megatron said.

Dreadwing did as he was told and hoisted Blitzwing upright. Before leaving, Dreadwing gave the DJD a telling and suspicious glared. None of them noticed his scowl toward each of them or the glow of his optics when he looked at then. Then Sun Storm turned to meet his gaze, and he smirked at him in the same manner as with Megatron. Dreadwing mistrusted Sun Storm the most, primarily because he did remind Megatron of Starscream. Dreadwing decided that Sun Storm would need to be kept under close watch. The same went for the rest of the so-called Decepticon Justice Division.

For now, Dreadwing needed to handle Blitzwing. "Move it, Blitzwing."

Blitzwing couldn't help but feel that there was something familiar about Dreadwing. "Where did you come from anything? Where's Cyclonus?"

Dreadwing pushed Blitzwing further on and replied, "I _was_ Cyclonus."

Blitzwing thought, _Aw, scrap!_

It was after Dreadwing left that Clench finally spoke. "I'm getting the feeling that your right hand 'con there doesn't us."

"Or maybe it's just you, Clench." Off Road said with a chuckle.

Tarn ignored the banter and spoke directly to Megatron. "So Megatron, what's this operation you need us for?"

Megatron replied, "Follow me to the bridge, Tarn."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Megatron liked being alone and away from the Autobots, but the isolation was just as much a curse as it was a blessing. He was now the last remaining Decepticon on Earth and because of his vehicle form's more alien appearance, he was also a much easier target for the Chimeras. But he was also flight capable, while the Chimeras weren't afforded such a function. Being flight capable gave Megatron a tactical advantage if he ran into a Chimera, but it was still a wonder of why he'd never just left Earth at all when the end came. It was a wonder why he never attempted to return to Cybertron.

The answer was a simple; as powerful as his alternate form was, Megatron would never have been able to make such a long trip alone. A space fairing vessel like the _Harbinger_ was essential for that kind of venture. At least, it would've been before the Chimera War. Megatron remembered how the Harbinger was brought down in the initial assault. He also knew where it crashed, and that was where he was flying at that very moment.

The location was several miles from the location of the mountain hideout. Megatron reached the location and, risking detection by the Chimeras, transformed. The Harbinger was only vaguely recognizable; a twisted heap of metalwork and long destroyed stone landscape as a result of the crash. Megatron knew he only had a finite amount of time before Flamewar and her minions would eventually track him down, so he had to make this quick.

He entered through a gaping hole in the hull, the resultant impact of a missile strike from one of the many missile silos that Chimeras took over. One shot was all it took to bring down the once mighty Deception warship. Megatron made his way through the wreck, stepping over fallen debris and rusted panels. It wasn't too long until he made his way to the holding cells, remembering when Blitzwing was imprisoned there. There was no sign of Blitzwing, alive or dead, but that hardly mattered to Megatron anymore.

Megatron continued through the wreck, eventually coming across Shockwave's laboratory. Much like the rest of the ship, the lab was a mess. It was here that Megatron found Shockwave himself. The emotionless scientist was a mangled heap. His legs and left arm were dismembered from his torso and wires were hanging from his insides. A feeling of remorse washed over Megatron that he otherwise would've never displayed amongst any of the Decepticons.

Moving onward, Megatron continued the somber tour of the fallen _Harbinger_. After another long walk, Megatron reached the doors to the bridge. The doors were almost completely shut with only a small crease to open the way inside. Megatron inched his finger through the crease and pried the doors open. The sound of metal scraping against metal was accompanied by a series of electrical sparks jumping from the doors. Inside, the bridge was just as much a mess as everywhere else on the ship.

Megatron walked into the bridge, being careful to avoid tripping over anything hazardous. There were a few bodies of his crew, including those of Clench, Knock Out and Off Road, but no signs of Tarn, Silhouette or Sun Storm. The bodies of Pounce and Skullcrusher were there, both having suffered quick but decidedly horrible deaths. Whether from the initial crash or being ambush by the Chimeras, Megatron did not know. Megatron moved along the wreckage and found to his surprise that his chair was still intact barring a few melted parts.

He positioned the chair and sat upon it for the first time since before the attack began. Megatron remembered being on another mission that cycle, so he was spared the inevitable crash that destroyed the _Harbinger_ and the crew that occupied it. It felt good to Megatron, to be seated in the Captain's Chair again after so long. But it was also somber and bittersweet. All of his troops were dead or missing, and Megatron was the last of the Decepticons. Interestingly, Megatron was fine with that as he rose up from the chair.

After a long while, he returned outside to gaze at the perpetual cloud coverage above. Flashes of light appeared and vanished on and off. A storm was coming, if it hadn't already. Megatron knew the Chimeras would've found him if he remained at the _Harbinger_ crash site any longer, so it was time to go. Assuming his vehicle form, Megatron blasted off into the dark sky.

* * *

Author's Note: That's another chapter in the books. Silas Bishop makes his first appearance, and his military connection is largely unchanged. I do however have an alternative portrayal of him in mind so stay tuned for that.

In addition to Silas, we have the first appearance of Joshua Joyce. Nothing's been revealed about him yet but he won't be at all similar to his _Age Of Extinction_ portrayal.

Sam meets her future mom and… almost slips up when addressing her. Verity also gives poor Sideswipe a stern talking to about his lost brother. Get over it, Sideswipe.

Finally, and many have asked about it, I've debuted a version of the Decepticon Justice Division. Before you get mad, I'm well aware that the members are all named after city-states of Cybertron, but here I've chosen to simplify the names and change the line-up; Tarn, Clench, Off Road, Knock Out, Silhouette and Sun Storm. Also, it's the return of Blitzwing…. And Megatron hasn't forgotten about him.

Meanwhile, future Megatron visits the crashed _Harbinger,_ which is now a tomb for the Decepticons killed in the Chimera War. I opted to keep the scene dialog-free in order to better translate the feeling hopelessness in the future.

So that's it, a mostly introductory chapter of new and returning characters. Have fun reviewing I'll see you next time. Peace out!


	6. Old, Far Off Things

Disclaimer: Ugh, Writer's Block! You are my ancient enemy and wish HORRIBLE DEATH upon you!

Now that I got that aggression out of my system, for now, I bring another chapter for the Transformers story. I own nothing.

" _In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, can the human race sustain another 100 years? I don't know the answer. That is why I asked the question, to get people to think about it, and to be aware of the dangers we now face."_ Stephen Hawking

* * *

Chapter VI

 _(Future Timeline)_

Optimus Prime traveled across the deserted landscape while staying as many steps ahead of the Chimeras as he could manage. He stayed out of radio contact with his allies but worried about them all the same. As tempted, as he was to try to contact them, Optimus knew it would've been more detrimental to both them and himself. So he traveled onward, leaving a dust trail in his wake and hoping he wouldn't encounter a random Chimera patrol.

So far, Optimus Prime was fortunate to have not run into any Chimeras while staying mobile and never transforming for more than a millisecond. But he was unaware that the path he currently taking was leading to an old, familiar location from cycles long past. He continued along the dirt terrain and was approaching the hills. It was then that Optimus realized where his traveling had taken him. Against his better judgment, he shifted course northwest and followed the trail that led to a lost home.

After a long trek across the dead landscape, Optimus Prime arrived at his destination. The long dormant volcano where the _Ark_ first crashed well over four decades was silent and still as it was since the Transformers first arrived on Earth. The _Ark_ , once Autobot Headquarters, was buried under tons upon tons of rock. Optimus Prime remembered how his departed friend Jazz told him that it was the result of an assault by the Decepticon war machine Trypticon. Trypticon himself had been defeated by Metroplex, according to accounts from the Wreckers.

The Wreckers… Optimus Prime inwardly wondered if the Wreckers were still alive on in the vast expanses of outer space. They'd never made any attempts to return to Earth. Maybe it was for the best as far as Optimus knew. But the worst part of knowing the faint of the ship that brought the Transformers to Earth was that Optimus Prime wasn't even alive at the time of its destruction. He wondered how many Autobots were long buried in the rubble of the destroyed base…. And how many would've been saved if he'd been alive at the time.

But then his thoughts were interrupted by an unexpected signal. Against his better judgment, Optimus Prime transformed to get a better handle on it. Optimus had made it abundantly clear that radio contact would be limited between the remaining Transformers, but this signal wasn't coming from any of them on in the field. Furthermore, the signal was old but on a frequency that only the Autobots could understand. But this didn't make sense; the signal was apparently originating from the location of… Autobot City.

"That cannot be possible." Optimus told himself.

He was right. No Autobot had been anywhere near Autobot City since the Chimeras began their assault. Optimus distinctly remembered ordering an evacuation of the city when the war started and as far as he knew, every Autobot escaped from there. So how was he getting a signal after so long? More important than that; who was sending it? Someone was risking his or her life to contact Optimus Prime with a signal that was originating from Autobot City. Optimus knew that the Chimeras would eventually pick it up if they hadn't already.

But if there actually was someone alive in the abandoned city, Optimus couldn't bring himself to let their call go unanswered. He transformed and drove off in the direction of the signal. He also sent a signal of his own to the rest of the Transformers to meet with him at the source. Again, he was risking detection by the Chimeras, but if someone was alive at Autobot City then maybe they could provide a safe haven for any refugees.

* * *

The signal wasn't just reaching Optimus Prime. A small group of Chimeras had in fact detected the signal. Flamewar was busy rummaging through some debris when she learned of the signal. Like a hive mind, the Chimeras transmitted the signal to Flamewar directly and Flamewar reacted to it instantly. She stood up to face her minions, but she was absorbing the information that was coming to her. The signal was coming from whatever was left of Autobot City, and than Optimus Prime had just sent his own signal to the other Transformers from his group.

How thoughtless and foolish of Optimus Prime, Flamerwar thought. Optimus Prime, for all intents and purposes, practically gave himself away. Flamewar could've chalked it up to desperation or stupidity or a combination of both but either way, now she and her Chimeras had the Transformers right where they wanted them. It would've only a matter of time before they caught up to them. Flamewar transformed and rode off with her Chimeras following suit.

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Shockwave ushered the Decepticon Justice Division into the bridge of the _Harbinger_ and drew the attention of the crew that was present. Wingspan and Pounce felt a sense of intimidation at the new arrivals, while Skullcrusher played it off as a mere distraction. Things grew more tense as the members of the DJD spread out across the bridge, all them taking in the sights and sounds of the systems. Tarn walked around the bridge with a slow, deliberate gait. Wingspan and Pounce marveled at the mask he wore that was the spitting image of the Decepticon insignia. Then Clench loomed over the twins like a great shadow, looking down on them with his cold optics. Clench looked up at Buzzsaw. The spy bird showed no intimidation at all, and Clench gave him a telling nod of approval.

Across from Tarn and Clench, Off Road, Silhouette and Knock Out studied the navigations systems. Their presence drew the further attention of Skullcrusher. The surly Decepticon pilot growled at the trio loud enough for Silhouette to look at him. To his surprised, Silhouette dimmed one optic and lit it again in rapid succession, perhaps the Cybertronian equivalent of winking. It really only served to anger Skullcrusher.

But it was Sun Storm who proved to be the most insufferable amongst the DJD. Without a second thought, he jumped into the Captain's Chair and slouched into it as if it was tailor-made for him. Shockwave stepped forward and looked Sun Storm, but there was no expression to be made from the emotionless Decepticon. Sun Storm merely grinned at Shockwave at even gave him a mock two-finger salute. The mood quickly changed when Megatron arrived, and he loomed over Sun Storm.

"You're in my chair, Sun Storm."

Sun Storm turned to address Megatron while remaining in the chair. "Why yes, I am. I must say that it's quite comfy. You must be very proud of your current position, Megatron."

"Out! Now!" Megatron demanded.

"Get out of the chair, Sun Storm. We're guests on this ship and should treat our host with some respect. That means no invasion of personal space." Tarn stated, and Sun Storm reluctantly left the chair.

Megatron sat down onto the chair before he addressed Tarn. "Now that you've gotten your crew in line, it's on to the business at hand." He said just as Buzzsaw perched onto his arm.

"Let's hear it, Megatron." Tarn said.

Megatron petted Buzzsaw across his beak and explained, "Our little friend here recently returned from Earth with news regarding a rogue Decepticon. She possesses information that is of vital importance to our cause."

"What cause would that be?" Clench asked.

"You're all Decepticons. You should better than anyone in the galaxy what our cause is." Megatron claimed.

"You want to reclaim Cybertron and rule the galaxy. We've all heard this same song and dance before." Off Road said.

"See, that's the trouble with loyalty to a cause. It eventually betrays you in the long run." Knock Out stated.

Ignoring the banter from his crew, Tarn asked Megatron, "What kind of information did this rogue Decepticon abscond with?

Megatron glared at Tarn for a brief moment before replying, "She has information on how to revitalize Cybertron but rather than deliver it to us, she chose to go to the Autobots instead."

"So what you're asking us to do is waltz on down to Earth and capture this rogue 'Con before she tells the Autobots anything." Silhouette clarified.

"It would probably be easier to just kill her and anyone else who thinks about getting in our way." Off Road stated.

"No, Off Road. I would like to make this perfectly clear that I want her alive and functional in order to extract this information." Megatron said.

"Megatron has a point," Tarn stated as he addressed his crew directly. "Our primary mandate is to hunt down and capture any and all rogue Decepticons and bring them to justice and that's what we're going to do."

"We're going to be compensated for the job, right?" Clench asked.

"You'll be very well compensated as long as our rogue is returned to us alive." Megatron stated.

"Fine, we'll do the job as long as your troops stay out of our way," Tarn said before he turned to his team. "DJD, we've got ourselves a job. Let's move it out."

Without hesitation, the DJD followed their leader off the bridge and almost ran into Dreadwing on their way out. Dreadwing sneered at the DJD's members while none of them returned his glare… except for Sun Storm. The yellowish-orange robot produced a sly grin as he followed the rest of his teammates out into the hall. Dreadwing narrowed his optics as the DJD walked away and the doors closed before he refocused his attention to Megatron. He took a stand on the right side of his leader while Shockwave stood opposite of him, and it was then that Shockwave spoke to Megatron.

"You did not tell Tarn about the true nature of his target."

"The less he knows then the better off we will be. I don't want the DJD getting any ideas about using our resident time travel against us," Megatron explained before looking to Dreadwing. "Dreadwing, how's our prisoner?"

"He's secured in a cell. He's not going anywhere." Dreadwing said.

"Good." Megatron stood up from his chair and headed for the bridge exit.

"If I might ask, Megatron; what are you going to do him?" Dreadwing asked.

Megatron stopped by the doors and turned to addressed Dreadwing. "Blitzwing committed an unpardonable sin by betraying the Decepticons. I intend to educate him in the error of his ways and then, I will debate whether or not I should have Shockwave reformat him."

Shockwave bowed his head to Megatron and said, "Whatever your command may be, I shall follow it without question, Lord Megatron."

With that, Megatron left the bridge.

* * *

Blitzwing sat in his cell trying to contemplate what he had just witnessed. Megatron was alive; the last time Blitzwing remembered seeing him was when Starscream tossed his mangled husk into out space. Then he came back as Galvatron and vaporized Starscream. Then after that, Galvatron snapped and tried cutting a deal with Alpha Q before Blitzwing tried to convince him of the Q's lies. The result led to Galvatron banishing Blitzwing from the Decepticons. That was the last time Blitzwing ever had any interactions with the Decepticon… until the DJD.

Fast forward and now Blitzwing was in a cell on a Decepticon warship commanded by Megatron, no longer Galvatron but no less ruthless. Shockwave was also alive, but Blitzwing assumed that Unicron killed Shockwave during the Chaos Bringer's assault on Cybertron. There were factors to consider and Blitzwing just wasn't sure of where to begin. But he wasn't about to be afforded a chance to figure it all out, because Megatron was standing beyond the glowing violet bars that prevented any form of escape.

Megatron deactivated the bars and slowly entered the cell, making Blitzwing think whatever was coming. The one thing that was certain to Blitzwing was that what was coming wasn't going to be good. Megatron took a slow number of steps forward until he stood over Blitzwing, and then he motion him to stand up. Blitzwing cautiously started to rise up from the floor, being ever so careful not to make any sudden moved that might anger Megatron. By the time he was upright, Blitzwing still had to look up to meet the icy gaze of Megatron's crimson red optics. Megatron still hadn't uttered a single word, and Blitzwing finally started to speak… which would turn out to be his mistake.

"Megatron, I don't know how you came back, but…" Blitzwing said before taking a vicious fist to the chassis, sending him dropping to his knees.

"I did not give you permission to speak freely, Blitzwing." Megatron said.

Blitzwing was doubled over and holding his chassis when he tried to speak up. "How is it even possible…" He took a boot right to his face to shut him up.

Megatron grabbed Blitzwing by his neck and pinned him against the wall. He proceeded to mercilessly pummel the rogue Decepticon across every square inch of his frame. Every blow that land doubled Blitzwing over, prompting Megatron to hold up so he could thrash him even more. Megatron landed sever body blows to Blitzwing's chassis, leaving more than a few dents in the process. Then Megatron hoisted Blitzwing up over his head and threw the defenseless Triple Changer across the cell.

Blitzwing crashed into the farthest wall and landed in a heap on the floor where he tried to get up. Megatron was already on top of him with a brutal kick to the chassis that put Blitzwing right back into the wall. Looming over Blitzwing, Megatron kicked him repeatedly and left more dents on him before picking him up and tossing to the other side of the cell. This toss was harder on Blitzwing as he hit the wall and crashed down to the floor. Megatron was on him once against pinned him down with his boot.

Megatron pointed his fusion cannon directly at Blitzwing's head, and Blitzwing could hear the whirring sound coming from the cannon. "Do not think for a moment that I'd forgotten about your transgressions, Blitzwing."

"I… tried to warn you… about Alpha Q." Blitzwing struggle to claim while Megatron pressed his boot down.

"And then you betrayed the Decepticons by standing with the Autobots. I have every reason to blast your pathetic head off just as I did the Autobot Ironhide," Megatron aimed his cannon, but the whirring ceased. "But that would be an exurbanite waste."

"What?!" Blitzwing confusingly asked.

Megatron pulled his cannon back and removed his boot from Blitzwing's neck. "As it stands, the Decepticons remain somewhat depleted even with the Constructicons and Combaticons stationed on Earth and the DJD joining the ranks. We still lack adequate flyers the caliber of the Seekers and aside from Dreadwing and myself, you are the only other capable flyer."

Blitzwing started to get up, only more cautiously this time. "You want me to rejoin the Decepticons?"

"'Want' is hardly the appropriate word. I **demand** that you return to the ranks of the Decepticons. I **demand** that you fly the colors of the Decepticons, that you fight in the name of the Decepticons and that you kill in the name of the Decepticons. For if you don't, I will not hesitate to vaporize you just as Galvatron vaporized Starscream. Do I make myself clear?" Megatron snapped.

Without waiting for a reply, Megatron stormed out of the cell. Blitzwing was reluctant to follow Megatron but he made his move toward the exit. But the violet bars reappeared, one of them striking Blitzwing across his arm. He collapsed at the sudden surge of painful energy coursing through his servos. Megatron returned to the cell and stood outside of the bars. Blitzwing was holding his arm, which had a noticeable scorch mark across the metal. He looked up at Megatron, who was sneering at him.

"Did you think I was going to let you roam freely on my ship? You will only be released when the Decepticons have need of you, and the Decepticon have no need for you now." Megatron said before storming away.

Blitzwing was left alone to continue contemplating what to do next and he said out loud, "Now I know how Starscream felt."

* * *

The _Peaceful Tyranny_ detached from the _Harbinger_ like clockwork and started making its descent toward the Earth. Inside of the small vessel, the DJD busied themselves with their tasks. Silhouette and Off Road worked the helm while Sun Storm handled the navigation of the ship. Knock Out monitored system diagnostics to ensure that the ship could handle the eventual approach into Earth's atmosphere. This left Tarn and Clench to collectively command the small crew, but they were more concerned with an audio feed thanks to the microphone that Sun Storm placed on Megatron's chair.

Tarn had played the audio back several times and it was after the final time that Clench said, "So our target's a time traveler, huh? You don't actually believe that do you, Tarn?"

"It doesn't matter what I believe, Clench. We came to Earth to do a job and we're going to do it, but when it's done, Megatron is going to owe us a lot more." Tarn claimed.

"Still, a time traveling Cybertronian could prove ever so beneficial to us if I may say so myself. Maybe we could convince our target to join us. Imagine what we'd be able to accomplish if we had that kind of advantage in our hands." Sun Storm said.

"I'm pretty sure Megatron had the same ideas, Sun Storm." Tarn claimed.

"What would stop him from using that kind of power against us?" Silhouette asked.

"Nothing, so we'll need to be doubly careful with how we approach this. Until then, we focus on the job. Then we'll deal with Megatron if he decides to cross us." Tarn said.

* * *

Ultra Magnus stood before _Teletraan II_ with Elita One beside him. The two Autobots spent the majority of the day studied any and all information they could find on Silas Bishop and his mysterious group called M.E.C.H. They were fortunate not be acting alone. Spike and Carly Witwicky were present as well, collecting what information that _Teletraan II_ presented them. The problem was the amount of info they retrieve was minuscule at best, but anything of noteworthiness was collected and saved for reference.

Optimus Prime arrived to survey the scene. He caught sight of the information coming from the big screen of Teletraan II, which consisted of images of the man in question. He studied the images; by the look of him, Silas Bishop was somewhat within his mid 50's but surprisingly fit for a man his age. Other images showed Bishop looking younger, possibly in the mid 20's or early 30's. This man had clearly seen combat, much like Optimus Prime himself. Had it not been for the supposed accusations from Windblade, Optimus would've liked to consider Silas Bishop an ally.

"Have you found any information on Silas Bishop?" Optimus asked.

"There isn't too much on this guy that the general public doesn't already know," Carly said. "Silas Bishop was born in 1959 in Urbana, Ohio. He joined the US Military at age 21 and been fighting ever since."

"Our guy's seen some battle; participated in the last 5 years of the Vietnam War, the Gulf War and most recently, the Iraq War before he was given an honorable discharge. He took a cozy desk job in the Pentagon but this man was a serious fighter so it's no surprise he was a Colonel based on his record." Spike stated.

"It gets fuzzy after that, though." Carly said.

"How so?" Optimus Prime asked.

"The information on Silas gets a little few and far between. It's as if he just vanishes off the face of the Earth. There's no information on M.E.C.H. or how Silas may have founded it. It's as if neither of them exist." Ultra Magnus claimed.

"Yet they do exist in this current timeline and according to Windblade, they'll be responsible for the creation of the Chimeras in her timeline." Optimus Prime surmised.

"Unless Windblade is wrong." Elita One said.

"What do you mean?" Spike asked.

"Time is a tricky thing that can't be predicted accurately, and that's me speaking from personal experience with my old ability to turn back time. It's possible that Windblade simply being in this timeline may have altered things." Elita One explained.

"Are you suggesting that Silas maybe doesn't anymore?" Carly asked.

"No, but I am suggesting that maybe, just maybe, this M.E.C.H. doesn't exist anymore or if at all." Elita One stated.

"Even so, we need to at least take Windblade's words at face value. If any more information can be found on Silas Bishop and M.E.C.H, then we need to know bout it." Optimus Prime said.

"Well I think I got some more info that sadly has nothing to do with M.E.C.H. It turns out that Silas got married in 1991 to a woman named Vivian. They had a daughter together named Alexis, age 22. Both father and daughter are currently estranged," Spike said, but then he paused. "Oh shit…"

"What is it, Spike?" Carly asked.

Spike looked back at the group and said, "His wife was killed during the Darkened Invasion in Seattle."

* * *

Author's Note: So I managed to finish this chapter after a few days of distractions. I know mentioned some returning characters, but I never said when or where.

So, future Optimus visits the old site of Autobot Headquarters, AKA the Ark before discovering a signal coming from Autobot City? Who could it be?

The DJD set out to capture Windblade, but not before they figure out that Megatron lied to them. Meanwhile, Megatron forces Blitzwing to return to the Decepticons, after beating the crap out if him.

Finally, the Autobots learn a little more about Silas Bishop, who is revealed to have a daughter… and a wife who was killed in Seattle back in _Return Of The Primes_. At the same time, there's virtually nothing about M.E.C.H. Interesting! Also, Silas' date and place of birth is the same as a certain actor who voiced him in _Transformers: Prime_. Go ahead, take a guess!

Give me a shout out and let me know what you think. Peace!

 **IN MEMORY OF  
** **STEPHEN HAWKING  
** **1942-2018**


	7. Mending What Is Broken

Disclaimer: Well, at least it didn't me as long to get this chapter finished… I think. So anyways, here is the next chapter of the story and I hope you like it.

Like always, I own nothing from the Transformers Mythos.

* * *

Chapter VII

 _(Present Timeline)_

Working at a welding company for medium wage to pay for college wasn't what Alexis had in mind when she decided strike out on her own. But it was better than the alternative of dropping out entirely. She was smarter than that and consequently, the job did pay reasonably well. The only issue was some of her coworkers tended to hit on her, but most of them were fine with having a woman working with them. It wasn't like Alexis was the only woman there as she'd crossed paths with other women who were working at that welding company for longer than she'd been.

The opinions of her coworkers were the farthest thing from her mind. Alexis was focused on her project, a blowtorch in hand and a set of goggles over her eyes. Sparks flew from the metal contraption over which Alexis toiled, and the blowtorch cut through the steel like butter. As loud as the torch was, Alexis could hear some minuet snickering nearby. She looked up and saw a couple of her male coworkers talking about her, and she quickly surmised that subject wasn't exactly flattering. One of them, a man of probably early to mid 30's, tried to charm her with a wink and kiss.

Alexis responded with a sarcastic smirk and a flick of her middle finger, and the two coworkers chuckled and moved on. Upon returning to her work, Alexis inwardly thought about the interaction and the notion that either of the two men would've had an even a slight chance with her. But Alexis knew better and she wasn't going to give them the time of day, so she kept working.

Hours passed before the quitting time hit and the day ended. The welders started on their way out in droves with Alexis among them. One of her coworkers, another man who was far more accepting and considerate than the previous two, gave Alexis a gentle tap on her shoulder before bidding her farewell. Another coworker, a woman this time, gestured a handshake that Alexis readily accepted before that person departed.

Alexis wished she had a car to her name, but at least she didn't live too far away from work at rough a few blocks. It wasn't like she didn't mind walking either; whatever she could do to stay in shape. Plus, the sun was shining with only a few notable clouds in the sky, but not enough to warrant concern of any possible storms. The light compelled Alexis to produce a slight smile on her face, but it quickly vanished once she noticed the man waiting for her while leaning on a semi-used car.

Alexis knew the man all too well and the first thought to go through her mind was, _Fuck!_

Removing his hands from his jacket pockets, Silas said, to his daughter, "Hello, Alexis."

Without missing a step, Alexis walked passed her father and replied rather coldly, "Colonel Bishop."

Silas wasn't at surprised by Alexis's indifference of him, but he spun around to get her attention all the same. "I know I just got here and my rental's not all that great, but I could give you a lift to your house.

Without turning around, Alexis replied, "I live in an apartment that's not that far. Even if I didn't, I have no reason to bum a ride with you."

Silas thought he had that cold shoulder coming but he persisted. "It's been almost eight months since we last spoke after Seattle. I thought maybe now was as good a time as any to reconnect."

Alexis claimed, "I'm over it."

Silas sighed, "Somehow, I know that's not the case."

Alexis stopped short and stated again without turning, "Everything that happened in Seattle happened. There's no point in trying to change all that." Then she started walking again.

Frustration was starting to get to Silas and he rushed to catch his daughter, taking her by her hand. "Alexis, could you please stop for…."

Alexis pulled away and finally spun around, dropping her gear to the ground. "For what, Dad? For a father/daughter chat about how I lost my mother? You want to talk about how she was one of the first victims of the Decepticons? Or maybe you want to talk about how you weren't even in Seattle when she died. Is that it?"

"I loved you mother, Alexis, and by God I wanted so badly to be in Seattle. I wanted to be there with her. I wanted to be saving her and a lot of other people." Silas explained vehemently.

"But you weren't there, Dad! I was in college watching the whole thing happen on a TV screen. God knows I couldn't do a damn thing about it, but you? Where were you, huh? Sitting at a desk in D.C. while Mom was dying? You couldn't even make time to come to her funeral." Alexis snapped as a tear dropped from her eye.

"You think I didn't want to? Alex, I didn't come to the funeral because I just couldn't bear the idea of saying goodbye to Vivian." Silas claimed as he placed a hand on Alexis's arm.

"Bullshit," she spat out and removed his hand from her arm. "You didn't come because you'd have rather buried yourself in whatever operation you had going. "

Silas took one step and Alexis backed away. "You know that's not true. I've only ever wanted to protect you and Vivian above all else, but my work was always consuming…"

"Because you let it consume you." Alexis claimed with anger and more tears in her eyes.

Silas was quiet for a long moment and trying to process his next response. He eventually said, "All the work that I do or have done was always to protect you and you mother."

Alexis just leered at her father before she said, "Well, that must be a real comfort. But it doesn't change the fact that Mom is dead and that you couldn't save her."

"I'm trying to make things right, Alex. I'm trying to make a difference for your mother's sake." Silas claimed.

"You want to make a difference," Alexis grabbed her bag off the ground and slung it over her should, nearly smacking Silas in the face. "Stay out of my life because as far I'm concerned, you're as dead to me as Mom was to you when she was alive."

Those last words cut Silas to the bone marrow as Alexis stormed away. She rushed as quickly as she could go until she reached the corner and then, she was gone. He wasn't remotely surprised by her hostility toward him and she made valid points about what happened in Seattle. Vivian, Silas's wife and Alexis' mother, was in Seattle when the invasion happened, and she was among the first casualties of that attack. Silas was across the country in Washington D.C. and Alexis was in Oregon going to college. While it was somewhat understandable that Alexis couldn't do anything, she was angry about the perceived belief that Silas consciously failed to act at all.

But Silas was aware that he couldn't tell Alexis the real reason for his apparent lack of concern for anything beyond his work. If Alexis knew the real reason, Silas believed, her life would be put at risk. Silas didn't want that. He'd have rather killed himself first than put his daughter at risk. At the same time, his work was the second of two reasons why Silas made the flight from D.C. Alexis was the first and foremost reason. The second reason was…

Silas's thoughts suddenly trailed off when he caught movement out of the corner of his eyes. He spun around to see what or who had caught his attention but found nothing. Putting the thought out of his mind, Silas headed for his rental car and entered. He thought about his strained relationship with Alexis again but had no idea what to do to mend it. After starting the car, Silas reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a thin sheet. He opened it to reveal a photograph depicting a woman. A tear dropped from his eye as he studied the photograph his departed wife Vivian.

"You'd have been proud of her, Viv." Silas whispered to the photo before he put it back in his pocket before he drove off.

Unbeknownst to Silas, Joshua Joyce was lurking around a corner having watched the tense father/daughter exchange. If Silas had caught sight of him for even a moment, he'd wonder how Joshua made it all the way from D.C. to Portland. Joshua had his ways, but he was going to keep those little tidbits to himself for now. He still had a certain piece of business to discuss with Silas… business that involved the Chimera Project... and possibly more.

* * *

Brainstorm and Highbrow were making surprisingly good time in the rebuilding process of the Technobots. It never occurred to Brainstorm that the schematics that Highbrow received from Scattershot were actually simply to decipher. Since then, the two Autobot scientists were hard at work to get the Technobots back in fighting shape. But even with their combine knowhow, Brainstorm and Highbrow knew full well that they alone couldn't get the job done. Luckily, they didn't have to do it alone.

Wheeljack was freshly returned from Cybertron. He arrived with an array of tools of his trade to aid in the reconstruction of the Technobots. Wheeljack couldn't help but marvel at the design of the five robots that he was helping to rebuild. Plus, he was eager to interact with them assuming they were as smart as Brainstorm suggested. But Wheeljack's thoughts on the matter were suddenly interrupted by a ruckus among his tools. The culprit appeared from underneath the mess and it was Rattletrap.

"Scrappin' pile of scrap!" the diminutive Autobot snapped and tossed a small device into the air.

The device flew through air and Wheeljack dove over to grab it. "Careful, Rattletrap. I need this module to amplify the Ground Bridge controls."

"Hey, I'm a mechanic and the kind of stuff you do is why beyond my pay grade. Why'd you even ask me to help you this anyway, Jack-Pipe?" Rattletrap asked, using a name that Wheeljack hated.

"First of all, don't call me Jack-Pipe. Secondly, you're the only other Autobot besides Brainstorm and Highbrow who can adequately reassemble certain complex machines. These Technobots, from what I've been told, all have a very complex design to them… especially when they combine into… what's he called, Highbrow?" Wheeljack said.

"Computron!" Highbrow replied.

"Computron? With a name that stupid, it's no wonder these bots blew themselves up." Rattletrap claimed.

"That's hilarious coming from you, Rattletrap. With a name like yours, it's a wonder why you haven't blown yourself up." Brainstorm retorted.

"Yeah, keep talking, Brainy, and don't come crying to me when these Techno-geek-bots blow up in your face again." Rattletrap said.

Highbrow sighed and asked Wheeljack, "Wheeljack, did you really have to bring him along?"

"Contrary to his, uh, 'sunny' disposition, Rattletrap knows a thing or two about mechanical engineering and he can apply modifications with the best of them. So believe it or not, his expertise can add to whatever improvements we can make to the Technobots." Wheeljack explained.

"Well, yeah, but couldn't you have tried contacting Perceptor? He's more of a scientist than Rattletrap." Brainstorm said.

"I think Perceptor has made it abundantly clear that he has no interest in coming out of retirement." Highbrow stated.

"You spoke to him?" Brainstorm said.

"Fairly recently. He's quite happy on Zamojin." Highbrow said.

"Good for him. The last thing we need is another smart bot telling me what to do." Rattletrap claimed.

Amid all of the chattering between the four Autobots, Optimus Prime arrived in the lab. The leader of the Autobots didn't have to speak a word for the foursome to take notice of him. They gave him a snap salute before returning to their work. Optimus Prime drew his attention toward the husks that were the Technobots, and he was surprised by the progress made in their restoration. He'd already assumed that one of the scientists would inform him of their progress, but he opted to inquire about it for the sake of it.

"I see you've all been hard at work with the Technobots." Optimus said.

"Yes, Optimus. The schematics that Scattershot handed me prior to the recent skirmish with the Decepticons has proven to be most valuable to us." Highbrow stated.

"I've already did the calculations and I've estimated that the Technobots will be fully active within the next two Earth days barring another Decepticon attack." Brainstorm stated.

"Luckily, I was wise enough to prepare a contingency plan in the event of said Decepticon attack." Wheeljack claimed with air of confidence in his tone.

"What sort of contingency, Wheeljack?" Optimus Prime asked.

Wheeljack chuckled and replied to Optimus Prime, "Well, let's just say the Decepticons won't know what hit them."

Knowing the Autobot's resident mad scientist as well as he did, Optimus gave Wheeljack's somewhat cryptic response some consideration and stated, "I trust you, Wheeljack… as long as you don't blown the city."

"Optimus, it's me." Wheeljack claimed.

"That is what concerns me," Optimus admitted and went to leave the lab. But he stopped and added, "When you have the time, Wheeljack, I need you to meet Triage in the infirmary to examine the… remains of the robotic creature that arrived with Windblade."

Rattletrap offhandedly said, "You don't actually believe the whole 'I came from the future' stuff from what-her-name, do you, Prime?"

"Time travel is possible if you look at it from a theoretical standpoint, Rattletrap." Brainstorm stated.

"Additionally, Rattletrap, Earth has seen it's fair share of temporal anomalies so it's not totally unheard of." Highbrow added.

"I still think it's a crock o' scrud." Rattletrap said.

"And that's why you're not a scientist." Brainstorm quipped.

* * *

Silas arrived at an undisclosed location in the woods just outside of Portland where an unmarked M.E.C.H. facility rested. Parking his rental nearby, he made his way toward a door on the side of the building. A touchpad rested beside the door and Silas placed his hand upon it where a tiny blue beam of light traced the palm. The scan finished within a moment and the door could be heard unlocking. Silas moved to the door and he opened it, but he stopped short of entering and looked around at the surrounding area.

Aside from the rustling of trees, likely from a few small gusts of wind, Silas saw nothing to indicate intrusion. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being watched. The feeling took over quickly, and he pulled out a pistol from a side holster while maintaining a death grip on the door handle. Aside from the trees rustling, he didn't see or hear anything out of the ordinary. That was what worried Silas the most: the silence. Beyond the uncomfortable silence, Silas set his gun back in its holster and entered the building. The door closed and locked behind him.

Somehow and without Silas's knowledge, Joshua Joyce appeared among the bushes that concealed him from view. Remaining in hiding for the moment, Joyce studied the M.E.C.H. building closely and quickly noted a lone camera high above the ground that automatically turned from left to right and back again. Joyce was certain that it wasn't the only camera, but he'd studied the device long enough to determine the blind spots. He waited until the camera had turned away from where he was hiding and when it was pointed away, he made his move.

Joyce made it to the door, directly under the camera but out of its field of view. He studied the touchpad Silas used earlier and deduced that it used a biometric scanning system. Noting the likelihood of being denied entry into the building, Joyce rolled up the right sleeve of his coat and exposed a metallic surface on his hand and wrist. A small series of wires emerged from his wrist and connected to the touchpad, quickly interfacing with the system and unlocking the door. Joyce looked the retracting wires in disgust before he went into the building.

* * *

Silas walked through the building in which over a dozen M.E.C.H. scientists worked on various projects. Most of those projected held virtually no appear to Silas, but he frequently halted for a brief second to study them before moving on. He continued onward into a hallway that led to a separate area, a private sector that only a select few could enter. Like outside, there was a touchpad that Silas activated before he stepped inside the next room. A man of African-American decent in a military uniform stood over a table holding a clipboard. He saw Silas approaching and instantly snapped a salute.

"Sir!"

Silas returned the salute while saying, "At ease, Sargent Epps. Where are we on Project Chimera?"

The soldier's name was Sargent Omar Epps, and he appeared younger than Silas but no less devoted to his duty. "We've made some considerable progress on the project but we're still a way's off from bringing the prototype to working order."

"What's the problem?" Silas said as he looked at the mangled corpse on the table.

Epps looked at the remains of Josie Beller, which had burned flesh and fused metal in equal measure and the eyes were open but motionless. "Reverse-engineering the tech that made the decedent into this walking Circuit Breaker is a slow process in of itself. It keeps doubling back on us as if it's rejecting it like a virus rejects a vaccine."

"We'd used this technology to fix Beller after the Golden Gate incident. We'd ought to be more than capable to reverse-engineering it for the prototype." Silas said.

"Yet the system continues to fight it, as if it has a mind of its mind. We've seen how that tends to work out poorly in the movies. Where's John Connor when you need him, right?" Epps said, but Silas wasn't paying attention.

Silas reached a window and looked out of it at another area of the building. An entire army of people was working around a large metallic body that was only partially completed, but had components exposed. It had the usual appendages that a body generally needed: arms, legs, and torso and head. These were where the circuitry and other numerous components were exposed for all to see, and the various scientists worked diligently to get the machine completed.

Epps had served under Silas for years, and the two became as close as brothers. It was easy to know that something was bothering the older soldier, but Epps wasn't the type to pry into Silas's personal life. But that didn't mean that Epps wasn't aware of something, because Epps already knew what was bothering Silas. He knew instantly that it had to do with what happened to Vivian eight months ago in Seattle. Curiosity got the better of Epps and approached Silas, standing at the window right next to him and looking down at the prototype.

"So, you see Alexis yet?" Epps asked.

"Yeah, but she wasn't particularly thrilled to see me. I can't blame her if I'm to be honest." Silas admitted to Epps.

"If she knew what you were doing right now, you think things would be a little different?" Epps asked.

"I don't know, Omar. I keep so many secrets about my work with M.E.C.H. from her, and at the same time, I always think she's hiding things from me. That alone makes me want to beat my head against a wall."

Epps cracked a sly smirk and said, "Well, the window's right here, sir!"

"Ha, ha, Sargent! You get that idea from god-awful M. Night Shayamalan?" Silas asked, to which Epps simply shrugged.

Turning serious, Epps asked, "This project that we have going; can you honestly say with absolutely certainty that this is a good a idea?"

Silas fell silent for a long while, and he frequently alternated glances between Epps and the Chimera prototype in the next room. He finally replied, "Honestly? I have my doubts about it. I haven't anything against the Transformers but rather, I admire them. I admire what they can do and the technological advances of their race. Yet at the same time, they brought their war to our world and innocent people paid the price."

"It'd be a lot easier if we could all just work together, wouldn't it?" Epps said.

"Yes it would. Looking at it right now though, Project Chimera is probably the only option we have. I never wanted war with the Transformers but they've forced our hand. I lost my wife and Alexis lost her mother. This, I think, is only way to ensure they no other man, woman or child has to endure the say hardship. That doesn't mean I don't have my doubts." Silas said.

Epps nodded in the affirmative. "Well, seeing as we're going all the way on this, did you happen to consider giving the prototype a name."

"Yeah," Silas replied as he looked the prototype once more. "I think I'll call it… Flamewar."

* * *

Joyce played incognito as he walked through the M.E.C.H. facility, taking in the sights and sounds of these people as they worked. None of them were at all the wiser of the intruder as he walked passed them, obstinately assuming that he was one of them. Joyce did nothing to draw any kind of attention to himself as continued on and eventually reached the main entrance into the largest part of the building. This was where the Chimera prototype body was being constructed.

Keeping his composer, Joyce studied the husk of metalwork and noted the similarities it had with the Transformers. Joyce gazed up at the window overlooking the room. He could see Silas and Epps up in the other room, but Silas couldn't see him well enough to identify him. He then focused hard and, while no one could notice, his eyes turned from a shade of brown to a shade of green. From his point of view, he could actually see through the wall and noticed the corpse of Josie Beller lying on the table. Joyce shook his head of the sensation and quietly snarled at having used another of his… specialties.

Moving on, he continued through the facility for a time until he found where he wanted to be. A duel set of doors was there that led into a computer room, and Joyce leaned up against the wall beside those doors. He waited until three people left the room before he entered. Inside, there was a series of screens with various digital blueprints detailing the prototype as well as other projects. Joyce didn't actually care about that, because he only needed access to a computer. The largest of these was staring him right in the face, and Joyce extended the wiring from his right arm from before.

The interface was instantaneous and the screen flashed with a rapid imaged that came and went in rapid succession. Joyce followed the imaged as they dashed along until he found what he wanted. Joyce studied the imagery closely and he felt a slight smirk creeping onto his face. The image was one of an area somewhere in Eastern Siberia, complete with coordinates. Upon this, Joyce smiled wider.

"Excuse me…" a voice called out, and Joyce was confronted by a lone person in a lab coat. "What are you doing in here? Who are you?"

Joyce sighed before he quickly outstretched his right arm, and the wires shot out and grabbed the man by his neck. Drawing him closer, Joyce coldly replied, "Wouldn't you like to know."

The doomed man struggled to breathe against the metallic tendrils around his neck… before Joyce violently snapped it.

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, this latest chapter is a little Human-centric than the previous ones and focuses primarily on Silas's personal and professional life. I wanted to make him more complicated and somewhat more conflicted than he was in TF: Prime.

There's the official introduction of Alexis, who isn't exactly on good terms with her father after the death of her mother during the Seattle attack. She also has no idea of her Dad's secret profession. She has a secret of her own but I'll keep that to myself for now.

Meanwhile, Wheeljack and Rattletrap return to help Brainstorm and Highbrow rebuild the Technobots. There are still more returns coming but you'll need to have a little patience.

Finally, Joshua Joyce is apparently not who he appears to be. I'll keep that to myself also, but you're welcome to speculate. So, let me know what you think and I will return soon. Peace!


	8. The Watchers

Disclaimer: Well, here we are once again for another chapter for the Transformers Saga. I hope you enjoy it and once again, I own nothing.

On a serious note, I have to acknowledge a number of deaths: Barbara Bush, Bruno Sammartino and Verne Troyer. As a wrestling fan, Bruno's passing at age 82 was especially hard for me. Verne Troyer made so many people laugh as Mini-Me and Barbara Bush was the First Lady alongside George, H.W. Bush. My deepest sympathies to the families for the respective losses.

* * *

Chapter VIII

 _(Present Timeline)_

After spending some time in the infirmary, Hotrod tried to convince Triage that he was fit to return to active duty. Triage was far from convince and refused Hotrod's request. So Hotrod tried to at least convince Triage to let him get back in fighting shape. Triage reluctantly agreed but only on the condition that Daniel, Bumblebee and Arcee accompanied him. To that end, the trio of Autobots and their one Human companion traveled to the green lands near Autobot City. Arcee and Bumblebee stood atop a small hill as they watched Hotrod drive around.

Hotrod was struggling to keep a straight path, swerving in various directions while Daniel rode inside working the floorboards. Daniel was thankful that he'd thought to wear a seatbelt. Hotrod tried to make a sharp turn around a boulder and he barely managed to avoid clipping it. But he failed to notice a hole in the path of his left wheel and drove right over, causing his path to become disjointed and unsteady. Daniel stomped on the breaks to bring Hotrod to stop. Standing atop the hillside, Arcee quickly noticed Hotrod's troubles and quickly made a dash for him while Bumblebee followed.

Daniel stepped out of the driver's seat when Arcee and Bumblebee arrived, but Hotrod was having trouble transforming. In vehicle form, Hotrod was visibly shaking as he made every effort to change form. Metal could be heard seemingly scraping against metal. Hotrod audibly grunted under the stress before parts of his vehicle mode began shifting. Daniel took a step forward but Arcee held him back, essentially telling him that he could nothing but watch. Over all the effort, hotrod finally managed to assume his proto form, but he still collapsed to his knees from the strain.

This time, Daniel rushed to his friend's side and Arcee followed him. Arcee knelt beside Hotrod as he struggled to collect himself. "That… that wasn't so bad." he said.

"Even after all that, you still find the time to crack jokes." Arcee said.

"I always thought that was my best quality." Hotrod claimed.

"At least you didn't lose your sense of humor, buddy." Daniel said.

Bumblebee helped Hotrod back to his feet even as Hotrod staggered a little bit. He said to Hotrod, "We should get you back to the city so Triage can look you over some more."

"And endure more of Triage's less than stellar bedside manner? I'd rather have one of the Dinobots chew my head off. Besides, I was going crazy sitting in the infirmary and had to get out of there." Hotrod protested before taking one step and almost falling over.

"Hotrod, be serious. You almost died in San Francisco." Arcee explained.

"Except, I didn't. But if I had been dead, a lot of our friends would've been dead too." Hotrod stated.

Amid the conversation, Daniel heard a sound approaching the direction of Autobot City. Then he looked up at the sky at a jet he'd never seen before. "Who's that?"

The Autobots looked toward the sky at the unfamiliar jet that was approaching them, and Arcee and Bumblebee readied their guns. Hotrod tried to deploy his guns but unfortunately, Triage hadn't repaired his weapons system. The jet came closer before it started making a descent to the ground in a non-hostile approach. The Autobots and their Human ally studied the jet's oddly intricate design, noting that it bared virtually no similarities to any Decepticon Seekers of cycles past. The jet finally came to rest on the ground and the canopy opened to allow a young Human woman to jump out. Then the jet shifted and changed into a female, winged robot.

The woman looked around in amazement at her surrounding and commented, "So this is what Earth looked like before…" she trailed off the second she saw Daniel staring at her.

Before anyone could react, a red Lamborghini came racing across the field. It drifted to a halt between the three Autobots and the two newcomers before transforming into Sideswipe. Instinctively, Sideswipe deployed his gun and pointed it directly at the robotic female. She back away by one step with her hands up to show she was unharmed, but the didn't stop Sideswipe from his gun on her.

"Are we really going to do this again, Sideswipe?" she asked.

"Only until you prove me right or wrong about your intentions." Sideswipe claimed.

"Uh, Sideswipe? You mind explaining what's going here?" Bumblebee asked.

"Yeah, who's your new spark mate?" Hotrod added.

Sideswipe leered at his comrades while Arcee approached the newcomer. "You don't look like any Autobot or Decepticon I've ever met. You don't even wear the insignia of either faction."

"That's because I'm not affiliated with either faction, at least not from where or when a come from. My name is Windblade and I'm… from the future."

"You from… the future," Hotrod said. "Right, and I'm the offspring of a Sharkticon."

"That's exactly what I thought when she showed up. I'm not buying the whole 'from the future' scrap no matter how many times she says it. And just so we're clear; if you ever bolt like that again, I'll melt you down for spare parts."

"Easy, Sideswipe." Arcee said, her demeanor being enough to make Sideswipe lower his gun.

Daniel approached the woman and asked, "Who're you supposed to be?"

Sam was struggling to put words together without giving herself away. "I'm Samantha, or Sam for short. I'm also from the future like Windblade."

"Uh huh, and what's your role in all this?" Daniel asked, and Sam felt the blood drain from her face.

"Let's just say I'm here to help my friend." Sam said. There was no way in the world that she could've possibly confessed to Daniel that he was her future father.

"Look, we came from a future Earth that's overrun by killing machines called Chimeras. They were created by M.E.C.H. We were sent here to seek the help of Optimus Prime to keep the Chimeras from rising to power." Windblade explained.

"So you claim anyway." Sideswipe said.

Hotrod was actually the most curious despite his previous offhand jab. "Who sent you here exactly?"

Windblade braced herself when she replied, "Optimus Prime. A future version of Optimus Prime sent us here. The Chimera and their leader, Flamewar, rise to power and overrun the planet, wiping every single Transformer regardless of faction." Windblade explained further.

"There were only a few Transformers when we were sent back in time, including you two." Sam said, referring to Bumblebee and Arcee.

"What about me?" Hotrod asked.

Sam hesitated before she said, "We don't know. You and several other Transformers went missing in the initial attacks, presumably dead."

"And me? Am I dead in your future?" Daniel asked.

"Well, yeah. You, Carly, Chip Chase, Marissa Fairborne… all gone." Sam said, and she instantly regretted it.

* * *

While the Autobots considered the words of the newcomers, they were unaware that they were being watched from afar. Silhouette of the Decepticon Justice Division had the group in her sights through her long-range rifle and was ready to take the shot if and when Tarn permitted it. Hiding beside her as he was, Tarn refrained from giving such an order. He along with Off Road and Knock Out monitored the event through individual scopes.

Up above the area and undetected by the Autobots, Clench and Sun Storm watching like mechanical vulture circling their prey. Like Silhouette, they waited for Tarn's word to strike. But Tarn still never gave the order, preferring instead to watch and wait for an opening. Sun Storm took to listening to the conversation going on between the Autobots and he transmitted the communication to Tarn on the ground.

" _Have you received all that, Tarn?"_ Sun Storm asked through Tarn's receiver.

"I've gotten the details down. Fall back to the rendezvous point. We'll meet you there shortly." Tarn replied to Sun Storm.

" _We've got a clear shot from up here, Tarn. We can take out the Autobots in one shot if given the chance."_ Clench claimed.

"That's a negative, Clench. Megatron wants this Windblade bot taken alive. We can't risk her being injured or worse." Tarn stated.

"We could incapacitate her and the her new friends and can certainly make whatever repairs are needed." Knock Out stated.

"We stick to the plan, Knock Out; observe and report and nothing more beyond that until I give the word." Tarn said.

"You always have to suck the joy out of everything, boss." Off Road whined, but Tarn ignored him.

"I can shadow them back to their city, Tarn. My cloaking technology will let me follow them without them ever knowing I'm there." Silhouette offered, and Tarn was visibly considering it while continued to listen in on the Autobots.

* * *

"So, let me see if I can grasp this concept: you two are from the future sent her by a future Optimus Prime to prevent an apocalyptic rise of killing machines built up by a pro-Human group led by this Silas Bishop guy." Bumblebee said.

"That's the way of it. Plus, we have less than five Earth days to stop the Chimeras from rising, so we're kind of on borrowed time at the moment." Windblade said.

"It sounds somewhat farfetched if I'm to be honest." Arcee said.

Then Hotrod surprised everyone when he stated, "I believe her."

Daniel said, "Hotrod?"

"Are you for real, Hotrod? This doesn't strike you as being a Decepticon scheme?" Sideswipe.

After everything we've all endured of the course of the past few stellar cycles… Unicron, the Quintessons, the Fallen, Thunderwing… to not take what Windblade says seriously just invites more trouble." Hotrod stated openly and with certainty in his tone.

"That sounded an awful lot like Rodimus Prime talking, Hotrod." Arcee said.

"Maybe I've still got some of the old Rodimus Prime left in me, Arcee. I say we take Windblade and Sam's word on it." Hotrod said.

Sideswipe sighed and said, "Fine, but we should at least get out of the open. We're all exposed out here and you never know when the Decepticons might show up."

"Right then, let's head back to Autobot City. Hotrod needs to check in with Triage anyway." Arcee said.

"Uh, I didn't agree to that." Hotrod said.

"You're still going." Arcee replied.

Meanwhile, Sam had briefly wandered away from the group and was apparently taking in the sight of an Earth much unlike her future world. Daniel had noticed this and approached the young woman, never thinking for a moment that Sam was actually his own future daughter. At the same time, Daniel couldn't shake the feeling that he'd seen Sam somewhere before but he couldn't put a finger on it. He placed a hand on Sam's shoulder and drew her attention to him. It took all that Sam had in her to not suddenly blurt out the truth about Daniel.

"Are you okay, Sam?" Daniel asked.

Sam tried to find the right words to reply without saying too much. "I just… the Earth I came from wasn't this… beautiful."

"It's had its moments." Daniel said.

Sam felt a smile form on her face before she turned to Windblade. "Hey Windy, if it's all the same to you, I'm going to go exploring for a while."

"Explore? But we're a team, Sam. We'd be better off sticking together." Windblade stated.

"I know, but if we succeed in our mission, there's no guarantee that the future will be changed if at all. I want to see as much as possible before, you know…" Sam claimed with a shrug.

Windblade was clearly concerned about the idea of separating from Sam before Bumblebee announced, "It's okay, Windblade. I'll keep an optic on Sam."

Though she still felt a sense of trepidation, Windblade finally conceded, "Okay, just be careful out there, Sam. I've already lost too many friends in our future, and I don't want to lose you too."

"Windy, it's me." Sam quipped.

"That's what worries me." Windblade claimed with a sly smirk, and Sam looked dumbfounded at her best friend.

"It's be fine, Windblade. I'll look after her." Bumblebee assured.

Without another word, Bumblebee transformed in his vehicle form and opened the driver's side door. Sam stepped inside where the seatbelt automatically fastened her to the seat, startling her slightly. As Bumblebee started his engine, Sam took one more look at Windblade and noted a troubled gaze in her optics. It was then that Sam understood her friend's mindset, but she gave a two fingered salute gesture to reassure her a little more. Windblade produced a slight smile, obstinate taking Sam's gesture as all the assurance she needed. Then Bumblebee drove off with Sam in tow. Windblade inwardly hoped that she'd see her best friend again.

* * *

In their hiding spot, the DJD continued to watch the proceeding. Clench quickly contacted Tarn and said, _"Looks like one of the Autobots is breaking off from the group. Should Sun Storm and I pursue them?"_

"Negative, stay on target." Tarn replied.

" _The rest of the Autobots are making their was back to their city. We can engage before they know what's happening."_ Sun Storm said.

"Megatron wants his time traveler alive and functional and we're going to keep it that way," Tarn replied before turning to Silhouette. "Alright, Silhouette. We'll go with your idea. You shadow them from afar and the rest of us will fall back and wait for your word."

"They won't even know I'm there until it's too late." Silhouette claimed.

"Make sure they don't. We need the element of surprise on our side." Tarn said.

"Count on it." Silhouette said before she bounded from the hiding spot.

In one swift move, Silhouette took on the vehicle form and sports car and raced off after the Autobots. Along the way, Silhouette vanished from sight after activating her cloaking tech. She became invisible and remained that way as she followed the Autobots back to their city. As for the rest of DJD, they followed Tarn's orders to fall back and wait for the next move.

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Bumblebee drove across the dead landscape of the planet he'd come to call him home so long ago. He suddenly pulled to a stop but didn't attempt to transform for fear of being detected by the Chimeras. There was a feeling what the Humans once called Déjà vu, the belief that he'd experienced this moment before. It felt odd to a Cybertronian to have something so organic occur, but Bumblebee had been part of Earth for so long that it became like a secondary function. Bumblebee gunned his engine to move on, but he halted once again to a stop.

Three Chimeras were standing right in front of him, standing stoic like ominous statues awaiting the arrival of a long lost master. In their case, their master, or mistress, was Flamewar. Bumblebee hadn't encountered the murderous machine ever since the mountain hideout collapsed, but she could've been anywhere for all he knew. But the thing that worried Bumblebee the most was that the Chimeras didn't appear to be looking directly him. Maybe it was because they could detect him in his vehicle form, which was the only advantage that the Transformers had over these monsters.

Still, Bumblebee was in a decidedly difficult position. If he transformed right at that moment, the Chimeras would've attacked him. If he made any sudden moves even in vehicle form, the Chimeras would attack him. And, if he remained idle, his energon reserves would've dwindled to nothing and he'd shut down. Either way, Bumblebee was in a predicament with a very unfavorable scenario. Slowly, he started to move in reverse without drawing too much attention to himself. The Chimeras didn't react to him right away. Hopefully, Bumblebee would've gotten far enough away to spin around and speed off.

If only he didn't mistakenly drive his rear tire over a lonely stone on the ground. The Chimeras heard the sound and they reacted instantly. The moment they started approaching, Bumblebee gunned his engine and pulled back in reverse. The nearest Chimera attempted to land a vicious blow but missed as Bumblebee pulled away. Bumblebee switched gears and raced straight forward, ramming into the first Chimera and tripping it.

Speeding away and then back around, Bumblebee rushed forward a second time and knocked over another of the Chimeras. The third Chimera deployed a blaster-type weapon and opened fire on Bumblebee as he rushed forward. Bumblebee swerved around the blasts but one finally struck directly in front of him. The blast sent Bumblebee tumbling over himself and he transformed in mid-spin before skidding to a halt. The Chimeras regrouped and faced Bumblebee down while Bumblebee started to pick himself back up.

"And I was just starting to enjoy the peace and quiet!" Bee quipped just as the first Chimera made its move on him.

Before the Chimera could get close, an unexpected blast landed on its face and sent it to the ground. The other two Chimeras quickly toward the source of the shot and found Arcee racing towards them at full speed. Arcee raced forward without slowing and then launched herself into the air. Transforming in midair, she came down with her arm blades deployed. Dropping between the two Chimeras, Arcee quickly started attacking them with rapid strikes and slashes. She landed precision hits that pushed the Chimeras back.

Bumblebee was able to recover just as the first Chimeras was also doing the same. Reacting quickly, Bumblebee spun around and blasted the Chimera before it could get close enough to attack him. The Chimera took the hit to the shoulder and bits flew from the shot, but the Chimera shook it off and kept coming. It rushed Bumblebee and tried to land a wild strike, which Bumblebee ducked under. Bumblebee rose up and landed a quick punch to the face of the Chimera to stagger it. The Chimera protested with a horrid noise before charging Bumblebee again.

Arcee fought off the other two Chimeras with a combination of speed and agility, landing more strikes to further damage them. She knocked one Chimera down with a knee strike, but the other Chimera attempted to ambush her. Bumblebee opened fire on the Chimera as it was moving on Arcee, drawing its attention to him instead. Arcee noticed that Chimera now moving on Bumblebee and leapt on its shoulders. She plunged her right arm blade into the head of the Chimera as many times as she could manage. Another Chimera tried to attack Arcee, but Bumblebee transformed and raced straight at the creature before it could reach Arcee. Bumblebee rammed into the Chimera to knock it down before driving his left rear tire into its face. He accelerated and the tire shredded the Chimera's face apart, finally rendering it inert. Bumblebee pushed forward and turned back around. He raced back toward Arcee as she was beating the scrap out of the other Chimera.

Arcee managed to bring the Chimera down to its knee. Its face was mangled from the repeated slashes from Arcee's arm blade, but it still had enough wherewithal to grab her and toss her to the ground. But it was too late to stop Bumblebee from slamming right into it and sending it flying. Arcee quickly deployed her blasters and shot the Chimera apart before it hit ground. Arcee took a moment to recover but was unaware of the last remaining Chimera rising up behind her. It let out a shrieking noise to alert her before it tried to attack, but Bumblebee blasted off its head. It's headless frame dropped to the ground, and silence was all that was left.

Regrouping with Bumblebee, Arcee asked, "You okay, Bee?"

"I'll live, but it's a good thing you showed up when you did," Bumblebee stated. "What're you doing her anyway?"

"I'm here for the same reason you're here. I picked up a transmission from Optimus about a series of coordinates and started following it. That was when I found you dancing with these Chimeras."

"I'm not sure 'dancing' is the right word. But I did get the same transmission from Optimus about a location. And get this; the location is apparently Autobot City." Bumblebee said.

"It doesn't make sense. I thought Autobot City was abandoned in the initial Chimera attack." Arcee said.

"You think it might be a trap, Arcee?" Bumblebee asked.

"It's a risk, but it might be a lot better than the alternative of waiting for more Chimeras to track us down. We're exposed out here, Bee, so we may not have a choice." Arcee concluded.

"I guess not. Okay, let's get going before more of those Chimeras track us down." Bumblebee said before he and Arcee transformed and raced off in the direction of Autobot City… assuming that Autobot City was still standing.

* * *

Author's Note: Another chapter is in the books (or the website, however you want it) We finally get our first look at Hotrod, still nursing his wounds from _The Gathering Storm_. Surprisingly, he's the only one not skeptical of Windblade's story.

Speaking of which, Windblade and Sam separate for the time being as Sam has a chance to see Earth as it was before the Chimeras.

In the future, Bumblebee and Arcee reunite to fight off some Chimeras before heading off to, hopefully, reach Autobot City if it's still there.

Like always, be sure to send a few reviews my way and I'll be back soon. Peace!

 **IN MEMORY OF**

 **BARBARA BUSH  
** **1925-2018**

 **BRUNO SAMMARTINO  
** **1935-2018**

 **VERNE TROYER  
** **1969-2018**


	9. If It's Not Broken

Disclaimer: I'd like to wish everyone on and around the world a Happy Mother's Day. That goes especially to my mother. I love you and I miss you.

I do not own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter IX

 _(Future Timeline)_

Brainstorm stayed high above the dark clouds to ensure that the Chimeras wouldn't locate him, and he remained in vehicle form to further the incognito-like approach. As he traveled, he felt deeply conflicted. He'd only just some time ago received a message from Optimus Prime about a set of coordinates. But Brainstorm recognized the coordinates as they led straight to Autobot City, and he knew just as well as Optimus Prime that that city was long evacuated in the initial attack. Brainstorm knew this and so did Optimus Prime, yet Optimus was willing to risk the very real prospect that the coordinates led to a trap.

Hence Brainstorm's conflict… he wasn't sure if he should've followed the coordinates or ignored them. Both option had consequences to them. If he traveled to Autobot City, there was the probability that it was a trap set by Flamewar to wipe out the rest of the Transformers. If he didn't, then it would've been akin to abandoning his friends. Neither of those options played out positively for Brainstorm. But as he contemplated them, he started to detect a signal approaching him. At first, he thought it was the Chimeras, but the signal was airborne and as far as he knew, the Chimeras couldn't fly.

The signal was approaching fast and Brainstorm, against his better judgment, transformed and used boosters in his feet to stay airborne. He armed up and waited for the signal source to approach. He finally started to make out an aircraft rapidly approaching him, eventually recognizing the craft to be the vehicle form of Megatron. Even though they were allies for the most part, Brainstorm never lowered his weapon as Megatron finally reached and transformed.

"Well, well… look who happens to be all alone in this destroyed world." Megatron mocked Brainstorm, who still had his gun pointed at the last Decepticon on Earth.

"What're you doing all the way out here, Megatron?" Brainstorm asked.

"I could ask you the same thing. I assume that you received Optimus Prime's transmission." Megatron said.

"Maybe I did, or maybe I didn't. What's it matter to you anyway?" Brainstorm wondered.

"First, you can put your gun away. I'm not interested in a fight that I would win. More importantly, I would think that someone so loyal to Optimus Prime would've jumped at the chance to reunite with his fellow Autobots and what could very well be a safe haven." Megatron claimed.

Brainstorm finally lowered his gun and replied, "It's not that I want to disobey Optimus. But there hasn't been any contact from Autobot City ever since the Chimeras began their attack. All of a sudden, there's a signal coming from there after all this time? It doesn't add up."

"You suspect a trap. Wise!" Megatron concluded.

"I could be wrong, but if I'm not…"

"Then Optimus and whoever answered the signal's beckoning would most assuredly be placed in imminent danger. Perhaps it would be prudent of us to reach Autobot City in haste."

Brainstorm glared at Megatron and said to him, "You're willing to go to Autobot City in order to prevent a possible ambush on Optimus and whoever might've reach him? Seems like you're getting soft, Megatron."

"Hardly my nature. Optimus Prime is my enemy above all else and only I have the absolute right to extinguish his Spark. I did it once already after all." Megatron gloatingly claimed.

"You're nothing if not honest, Megatron. And you right; I can't bring myself to abandon what friends I have left." Brainstorm admitted.

"Then what are we waiting for? The longer we stay here, the sooner the Chimeras find us. So let us be on our way." Megatron declared before he transformed and blasted off.

Alone once again, Brainstorm coldly asked himself, "Why'd I have to agree with him?" Then he transformed and flew off after Megatron.

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Wheeljack and Triage worked with the remains of the inactive Chimera that appeared from the supposed future with Windblade. They had activated restraints to keep it down as a precaution in case of any sudden activation. Crosshairs was present, but he was only there to serve as security in case the Chimera went rogue. Wheeljack studied the machine closely, his optics glowing as he marveled at the advancements of the machine. It wasn't long before Ultra Magnus arrived to get a sense of any progress made by Wheeljack and Triage.

"Anything of note, Wheeljack?" he asked.

"Speaking modestly, I'm probably the best Autobot Scientist on Cybertron or Earth. That being said, this tech goes way beyond anything that Cybertronian tech can reach." Wheeljack claimed.

"Yet somehow, the Humans managed to reverse-engineer our tech and essential splice it with their own." Triage added.

"Like they apparently did with Josie Beller." Ultra Magnus said.

"Hey, am I'm going to understand any what you two gear heads just said?" Crosshairs asked.

Wheeljack and Triage exchanged glances before Wheeljack turned to Crosshairs. "Think about how the Technobots came to be; a Human scavenged the remains of dead Transformers from the Seattle incident and repurposed them with current Earth-based technology."

"Yeah, but that loony Human wanted to use the Technobots as a weapon against us." Crosshairs stated.

"True, but she wasn't able to activate them until she had been 'changed' into a walking circuit breaker. Even then, she had that self-destruct failsafe built into them, which was accelerated when they merged into Computron." Triage stated.

"And now, we got Highbrow and Brainstorm rebuilding them from the ground up, minus the failsafe." Ultra Magnus concluded.

"Okay, that's all very fascinating but where does this Chimera thing fit into all this?" Crosshairs asked.

"We know that M.E.C.H. made Beller into a half-Human machine. So it's stands to reason they went further by reverse-engineering that into the creation of the Chimeras. And we all know how that worked out, at least according to Windblade." Wheeljack said.

"I still think it's all a load of scrap." Crosshairs claimed.

"Optimus seems to believe Windblade's story, Crosshairs. That's good enough for me." Ultra Magnus stated.

Just then, a citywide communication sounded out and Cerebros chimed in. _"Ultra Magnus, Arcee's group is returning from the field. Shall I open the entrance?"_

"Go ahead, Cerebros." Ultra Magnus replied.

"And Cerebros, could you make sure that Arcee makes sure that Hotrod returns to the infirmary? He needs to he have his next checkup as soon as possible." Triage said.

After a short pause, Cerebros replied, _"I'll… relay the message."_

* * *

The city entrance began to open as Arcee, Hotrod, Sideswipe and Windblade approached from the field. The Autobots drove into the city one after the other in quick succession. Once they were all inside, they transformed all at once and started walking down the halls toward the main command area. They broke off; Sideswipe taking Windblade and continued to the command area, and Arcee and Daniel escorting Hotrod to the infirmary whether he liked it or not.

Unbeknownst to the Autobots, Silhouette had shadowed them into the city using her cloaking tech to stay hidden. She rounded a corner and transformed while staying cloaked and out of sight from both the Autobots and the city's security systems. From her corner, Silhouette took in a detailed look of Windblade, the supposed target of which Megatron spoke. In retrospect, Silhouette saw nothing overly interesting about Windblade.

Remaining hidden, Silhouette made a call to the rest of the DJD waiting outside the city. "Silhouette to Tarn, come in…"

" _Tarn here. What's the words, Silhouette?"_

"I've got a visual of the target. She's with one of the Autobots, and it looks like he's protecting her. How should I proceed?" Silhouette said.

" _Recon only. Do not engage. The rest of the team will take up strategic positions around the parameter of the city. Keep us posted of any changes or problems."_ Tarn replied and the call was cut.

Silhouette mused to herself, "Story of my life."

* * *

Tarn was a good distance away from the city but close enough to use his optical zoom function to get a good look at the city's defenses. He counted multiple gun implements atop the walls and the walls themselves appeared to be reinforced. The Autobots didn't play around, he thought. Looking away for a moment, Tarn checked a holographic map of the surrounding area. Four blinking blips flashed the on the screen to indicate the other members of the DJD. It wasn't long before Tarn suddenly received a call from Off Road.

" _Hey boss, why don't just go into the city guns blazing and catch the Autobots be surprise?"_

Then Clench replied with his own call. _"I kind of have to agree with Off Road, Tarn. Silhouette could disable the security system of that place and we can raze it to the ground."_

"We could do that, Clench. But there's only a handful of us verses a whole city of Autobots. We'd need reinforcements to tip the scales in our favor." Tarn stated.

" _And you think Megatron is going to provide us with said reinforcements?"_ Clench asked.

"Megatron isn't stupid. If he really wants the target brought to him, he's going to go all out with some heavy hitters." Tarn said.

" _From what I understand, Megatron has those heavy hitters squared away somewhere."_ Knock Out chimed in.

" _I still think we should go in shooting."_ Off Road said.

"That's why you're not the leader of this group, Off Road." Tarn said.

" _Uh… not to change the subject, Tarn, but where's Sun Storm?"_ Knock Out replied.

Tarn checked the map a second time and only just now noticed that Sun Storm was nowhere to be found. "Sun Storm, what's your position? Sun Storm, do you read me? What is your current position? Respond."

There was a response to Tarn, but it wasn't Sun Storm responding to him. _"Tarn…"_

"Megatron!"

* * *

On the _Harbinger_ , Megatron had a direct communication link to Tarn on Earth. "It would appear that your supposedly tight knit group isn't as tight knit as you suggested. One of your crew has been detected moving toward the nearby Human town where the rogue Decepticon first appeared."

"Keeping tabs on us, Megatron? Funny, because we've been keeping tabs on you." Tarn said.

"How do you mean?" Megatron asked.

" _Stop trying to play me, Megatron. I know you so-called rogue is no rogue at all but a time traveler."_ Tarn said.

Megatron wasn't surprised by the accusation, holding up the microphone that Sun Storm left on his chair. "I surmised that you'd figure it out when I found your little microphone on my bridge, Tarn." He crushed the microphone in his hand.

" _Keeping secrets from DJD is bad career move, Megatron. It's going to cost you."_ Tarn claimed.

"We'll discuss the particulars of it later, Tarn, but for now, I want you and your team to remain in position. The Constructicons and Combaticons have been notified and are moving on Autobot City as we speak." Megatron informed Tarn.

" _What? Why now? Silhouette hasn't given the word, and Sun Storm is a no show. "_ Tarn said.

"I have Buzzsaw keeping tabs on him. In the meantime, you will remain as you are. Over and out." Megatron said and cut the feed before Tarn could protest.

Megatron crossed his arms and had a scowl on his face when Dreadwing approached him. "I had a feeling they'd become a liability. I just wasn't expecting it to be this soon."

"They'll do their job regardless, Dreadwing. If Tarn has an issue with my methods then he can meet me face to face. In the meantime, I want the Constructicons and Combaticons ready to attack Autobot City on my word. And Dreadwing…" Megatron said.

"Yes, Lord Megatron…" Dreadwing replied.

"I assume you've brought the wayward Blitzwing to Shockwave's laboratory."

Dreadwing smirked and replied, "Yes, I have."

* * *

Blitzwing screamed as Shockwave operated on him in his laboratory, twitching as the logically sound and emotionless Decepticon inched a device toward his joints. Shockwave worked diligently on the orders of Megatron to, as the Decepticon leader put it, 'improve' Blitzwing. But to Blitzwing, it felt like pure torture especially when Shockwave deliberately made him feel every bit of the operation. He screamed from every time Shockwave's needle-like apparatus touched his servos. Only when Shockwave pulled away from Blitzwing did the torture cease, but it was unlucky to be over se soon. Still, Blitzwing had the wherewithal to speak out.

"How're you still alive, Shockwave? I was on Cybertron when Unicron crushed the tower with you inside."

"That is a reasonable assumption, Blitzwing, but ultimately an illogical one," Shockwave said as he reached for another device. "I had departed Cybertron long before Unicron laid waste upon it, leaving an exact duplicate in my place to ward off suspicion."

"You ran while the rest of our race were fighting a losing battle." Blitzwing accusingly claimed.

"I'd prefer to call it a strategist fall back method. And I did so to correct a mistake made by Unicron." Shockwave replied.

Blitzwing quickly said, "Galvatron."

Shockwave turned around, holding a new device in his hand. "When Galvatron first appeared, I surmised that the Decepticons were doomed to lose Cybertron to the Autobots. His vast power, evident when he eradicated Starscream, was overmatched by his insanity. I departed as part of a plan to resurrect Megatron so he could lead the Decepticons back to their former glory."

"I won't lie; Galvatron was a maniac. He wouldn't listen when I told him that Alpha Q was using him to take over Cybertron." Blitzwing said.

"Then you made the mistake of siding with the Autobots. Megatron retained his memories his time as Galvatron and he has told me everything. He has given me free reign to ensure that you do not betray the Decepticons again. Now," Shockwave activated the device, which gave a whirring sound that echoed in the lab. "Do hold still…"

Blitzwing could watch as the device reached his arm. Then he screamed…

* * *

Bumblebee traveled into town was Sam riding inside his vehicle form. Sam was in the driver's seat holding the steering wheel to make it appear that she was driving, even though it was Bumblebee handling the steering. But it was Bumblebee's suggestion, which was meant to keep up the appearance of Sam handling the driving even though she was only working the floorboards. The issue was that the town people knew that Bumblebee's vehicle form was a disguise, but at least Bumblebee tried to maintain the illusion.

Sam spent much of the ride looking out of the windows, taking in the sights of a world she never thought she'd see. It was so vastly different from the bleak future from which she and Windblade came. The sun shined from a nearly cloudless sky, the temperature was moderately warm and comfortable and most of all, there were other people. Living people. Bumblebee finally broke the silence between himself and Sam.

"So Sam, you're from the future, right?" he asked.

Sam hesitated for a brief moment before replying, "Yeah, basically."

"What's it like?"

Again, Sam hesitated to speak. She eventually said, "It's… not like this. The future, you know, where I'm from… or when I'm from, is not this bright."

"That bad?" Bumblebee assumed.

"There aren't any Humans left. The whole world is one giant wasteland thanks to the Chimeras. There were only a few Transformers left when Windblade and I traveled back to this time."

"I'm almost afraid to ask but, am I among those last remaining Transformers?" Bumblebee asked.

"Trust me, Bee. I think the less you know, the better." Sam said.

"I've seen my share of strangeness." Bumblebee said.

Sam had to almost let out a mild chuckle and went back to daydreaming about the differences between the present and the future. She did have a point; the less Bumblebee knew about his future, the better off he' have been. She was so absentminded that she didn't realize that she was pressing down on the gas pedal. Bumblebee took a small bit of control of the slight acceleration without alerting the young woman from the future, but then he suddenly hit the breaks without warning.

Sam wasn't ready in the slightest even though she had the seatbelt on, but after Bee stopped, she saw the reason why. There was another young woman directly in front of Bumblebee. She looked to be no older than Sam, but the facial expression was just one indicator that she wasn't thrill about being almost run down. She further exemplified it by slamming her hand down on Bee's hood and giving Sam the middle finger before she stormed. Sam was still stunned by the appearance of the woman and her angry reaction and, compelled to respond, got out of Bumblebee's interior.

The woman was back on the sidewalk when Sam rushed to catch up to her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Without turning, the woman replied, "I'm fine, but watch where you're driving next time."

"Are you sure?" Sam asked.

This time, the woman turned around to confront Sam and replied, "What are you, my mother? Don't answer that. I've already had a trying day."

"Seriously, I'm sorry. I got distracted." Sam said.

The woman finally had a moment to calm down. "It's okay. I'm okay and I'm sorry I got upset. But seriously, you and your friend here should be more careful about where you're driving."

"Friend?"

The woman said, "C'mon, I know an Autobot when I see one."

Sam looked surprised before Bumblebee transformed. He knelt down to greet the woman. "Wow, I'm impressed you knew I was an Autobot."

"It wasn't that hard since you guys are everywhere nowadays. It's Bumblebee, right?" the woman said.

"Yeah!" Bumblebee confirmed.

"So, you know the Autobots?" Sam asked.

"Not personally, no," the woman claimed before saying to Sam, "You're not from around here, are you?"

Sam stammered on finding the correct response to the woman's statement while also trying her best to keep from exposing her origins. "I'm from… out of town. I'm Samantha." She nervously held out her hand.

The woman looked at Sam with confusion and possibly some amusement at her nervousness before she accepted the gesture. "Alexis. It's nice to meet you, Samantha."

"Likewise, Alexis. You can just call me Sam, by the way."

"Right, well, you and Bumblebee have a nice a day. I've got to get home." Alexis said as she broke the handshake.

Then Alexis continued on her way home, leaving Sam and Bumblebee to contemplate further on the moment. "She seems nice." Sam said.

"Yeah, it's good to know at least some Humans still trust us Autobots." Bumblebee replied before he transformed back to his vehicle form and opened his door to let Sam inside.

* * *

High up above the town like a ravenous bird of prey, Sun Storm had followed Bumblebee and Sam ever since they separated from the rest of Autobots. The thing that interested him was the interaction between the two of them and the other Human woman. Instantly, Sun Storm made the assumption that the unknown woman was most likely another of the Autobot's allies. She might have had had secret that Sun Storm could exploit on the behalf of the Decepticons. Taking his assumption to Spark, Sun Storm began his descent toward the town. He was largely unaware that Buzzsaw was also watching his antics.

* * *

Alexis made it back to her apartment and breathed a sigh of relief after the events of the day. She had to put up with the appearance of her father, deal with almost bit run down by an Autobot and have a somewhat awkward meeting with a girl from out of town. The girl in particular, Samantha was her name, was a curious part of the day for Alexis. She seemed strangely addled by just about everything around her. Alexis chalked it up to nerves stemming from the fact that Sam was new in town. But all things considered, Sam seemed like a good kid.

Alexis chuckled at the choice of thought. A good kid? Sam looked to be about the same age as Alexis. Plus, she was apparently in good with Autobots. Alexis was still wary of the Autobots after Seattle, but she wasn't going to tell them. She sure as hell wasn't going to tell her father about them, especially since Alexis would've never given him the time of day. Still, Sam seemed like a nice person. Alexis couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to Sam than Sam let on. She put the though aside and focused on entering her home.

That was when the wind started to pick up. It picked up hard and fast, not hurricane fast but fast enough to send Alexis's hair flying every which way. The gust quickly became so intense that Alexis fell to her knees. She finally saw why; a bright orange fighter jet loomed above the town, sending other citizen scattering for cover. The jet suddenly began to shift and change appearance, transforming into a massive bipedal machine. Alexis knew enough to know that a Transformer just appeared directly in front of her, and unlike the Autobot that she'd only just met moments ago, this Transformer was anything but friendly. The Decepticon insignia reinforced that belief.

"Hello, little Human. I'd like a word with you."

* * *

Author's Note: Well that puts this chapter in the books. Rather than go through the details of what's going on, I'll let you determine them. Please, no flames!

I'll be back soon with the next chapter and as always, peace!


	10. The Hunted Pt I

Disclaimer: Sorry for the long wait, more distractions and more work and stuff like that.

Like always, I own nothings from Transformers. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter X

Alexis ran as fast as her legs could carry her, not even caring about her dropped belongings. She just ran and didn't dare to look back. But she did look back and she instantly regretted it. Sun Storm was following her, not bothering to run after her or even transform. He just walked after her with an egotistical gait in his step, as if he was enjoying the chase. Alexis kept running, rounding around a corner to the next block. Sun Storm grinned at the futility of the Human's escape as he rounded the next corner.

He lost sight of his target briefly, but the grin never left his face as he stalked along the street. Alexis managed to hide briefly in an alley as Sun Storm walked passed it. She waited for him to continue on down the street, scaring off other people as he searched for her. Believing she had a chance to escape, Alexis took it and ran in the opposite direction. But in her haste, she knocked over a garbage can and alerted Sun Storm.

"Why are you running, little one? I only want to talk… about your Autobot friends and what you're all planning." Sun Storm claimed with a sadistic grin.

"I don't know what you're talking about?" Alexis insisted as she tried to get up.

"Oh, I think you do. I think you know a little something about the Autobot's time traveling friend." Sun Storm claimed while he stalked closer.

Before Sun Storm could make a move, the town police arrived. Four police cars skidded to a halt directly behind the Decepticon, each producing two officers from within their confines. They officers were prepared for the eventuality of a Decepticon attack, as two of them had military grade anti-tank weapons along with their standard side arms. Sun Storm turned to face his enemies and the distraction gave Alexis a chance to bolt. Sun Storm spun around to notice Alexis's escape attempt and move to pursue her, but the police opened fire on him.

One of the officers handling the anti-tank weapons fired a rocket at the Decepticon. Sun Storm caught the rocket, studied it for a moment before sending it flying straight up into the sky. The rocket exploded in the air, producing a loud boom that could be heard throughout the town. Another rocket was launch, striking Sun Storm in the shoulder and knocking him down with a crash. He recovered just in time to be pelted by gunfire from the officers as they approached him.

Through it all, Sun Storm smiled gleefully and swatted one of the officers in one hit. The ill-fated officer was slammed into the side of a building and left a splatter of blood on the wall. Sun Storm was upright and armed his arm-mounted null ray cannon. He fired on the officers, sending fire and debris flying every which way. The officers, at least those who were still alive, quickly retreated even though a couple of them still fired on Sun Storm. Sun Storm fired another volley and sent more debris flying. This time, the police dispersed completely and left Sun Storm alone.

"Hm, what was that all about?" he asked.

Amid the chaos that Sun Storm created, Alexis ducked into another alley and hid behind a dumpster. The foul stench from inside the dumpster was the furthest thing from her mind as she struggled to say silent. She could hear the metallic footstep of her pursuer, the reasons behind it still unclear to her. The footsteps halted. Alexis took a miniscule chance to peak around the corner of her hiding place. Sun Storm was standing right there, searching every square inch of the alley. Alexis pulled her head back to hide, closing her eyes tightly and covering her mouth to avoid even breathing too loud.

Then she heard a squawking sound from above the alley. She looked up and the blood drained from her face. A mechanical bird was spying on her and she immediately determined that it was another Decepticon. She involuntarily dropped an expletive under her breath when Buzzsaw alerted Sun Storm. A moment later, the dumpster went flying into the air and exposed Alexis to Sun Storm. Alexis bolted right away before Sun Storm could grab her, and she made out of the alley and back into the open. Sun Storm laughed at the Human's vain attempts to escape and gave chase once again.

Back on the street, Alexis ran as fast as she could go with Sun Storm in pursuit. Sun Storm fired a shot nearby and sent Alexis falling to the ground from the impact. Disoriented and with her ears ringing, Alexis was defenseless as Sun Storm approached. He was almost right top of her and reached down to grasp her when a yellow car sped right into him. Sun Storm was flipped into the air and landed hard on the ground. The car skidded right to a stop between Alexis and Sun Storm, the former recognizing the vehicle as Bumblebee. The door swung open and Sam appeared in the driver's seat.

"Get in!" Sam shouted, and Alexis jumped inside the passenger side. Sam looked at Alexis as she was shaking the confusion away and asked, "Are you okay?"

Alexis was right enough to respond, "No, I'm not okay. Why is there a Decepticon trying to kill me? I didn't do anything."

"Bee get us out of here. Get us back to Autobot City." Sam requested.

"Hang on, you two." Bumblebee said just he sped away from Sun Storm.

Sun Storm managed to recover just in time to see Bumblebee speeding away and opened fire on the yellow Autobot. The first few shots were off target, instead striking the sidewalk and the buildings and sending debris flying everywhere. Bumblebee swerved to and fro to avoid the debris while Sam and Alexis had to hold on for dear life. Sun Storm fired another shot from his cannons before transforming and taking off after Bumblebee. At the same time, Buzzsaw was recording everything that was happening before also giving chasing.

Bumblebee raced through the streets at top speed, careful to avoid striking any pedestrians in his escape attempt. Inside of his interior, Sam and Alexis tried to remain seated. Bumblebee's frequent turns from one street to the next made it all the more difficult. Sun Storm gained on Bumblebee quickly and opened fire on him with his guns. The projectiles struck the streets and sent more debris into the air, forcing Bumblebee to swerve more and more.

Throughout the chaos, Bumblebee quickly sent a message out to Autobot City. "Bumblebee to Autobot City; we're under Decepticon attack. Send help fast!"

Sun Storm fired a missile ahead of Bumblebee. The missile slammed into the ground several meters away from Bumblebee, causing an explosion of asphalt and fire. The explosion halted Bumblebee briefly while Sun Storm flew overhead, leaving a sonic boom in his wake. Bumblebee back up and shifted his course to take an alternate route, while Sun Storm banked around and continued the chase. In the meantime, Buzzsaw followed and recorded every moment.

* * *

On the _Harbinger's_ bridge, the Decepticons monitored the events in the town. Megatron was out of his chair and watched the image on the main screen with marked interest… and annoyance. It didn't come as a shock that Sun Storm had to jump the gun and attack a lone Autobot for no other reason than just for the sake of it. This gave Megatron a reason to dislike Sun Storm. Sun Storm's rash actions reminding Megatron of Starscream… too much.

"Wingspan and Pounce; send a signal to our ground forces on Earth. The attack on Autobot City begins now." Megatron ordered before turning to Dreadwing. "Dreadwing, you're with me."

"As you wish, Lord Megatron." Dreadwing replied.

Before they departed, Megatron pressed a switch on his chair and the imaged on the screen changed to show Shockwave. "Shockwave, is Blitzwing ready for deployment?"

"He is ready, Lord Megatron. He will offer little resistance." Shockwave replied.

"Excellent!" Megatron said before returned the screen to its previous image.

Dreadwing asked, "Can we trust Blitzwing to follow suit, Megatron?"

"No, which is why I had Shockwave make some 'adjustments'." Megatron claimed.

* * *

At the M.E.C.H. facility, Silas pulled back the sheets to reveal a dead security guard. The means of the poor man's death were a mystery but Silas was only willing to make two determinations. There was either a traitor among his people or an intruder, and since many of his men were loyal to him, Silas settled on an intruder. Pulling back the sheet to cover up the corpse, Silas addressed the second security guard.

"Did you notice anything strange at all when you found him?" Silas asked.

"Nothing out of the ordinary, sir. He'd told me before that he'd forgotten something and the last time I saw him alive." the guard stated.

"Epps was with me the whole time as well and everyone else was at their stations. So that means we have an intruder. I want this facility locked down until we find who's responsible for this." Silas said just as Epps was approaching him.

"Sir… we've got a situation." Epps said under spent breath.

"Take a breath, Epps. Collect you're thoughts before you speak up." Silas said.

Epps took a few moments to collect himself before he said, "There're reports coming in about a Decepticon attack in the town."

"Any casualties?" Silas asked.

"Four local officers confirmed dead, no civilian casualties as of yet but…" Epps stopped, and Silas knew he was holding something back.

"And what, Epps?"

Epps hesitantly said, "Alexis is there."

Within moments, all of the blood drained from Silas's horrified face as he whispered "Alex…"

* * *

Bumblebee managed to reach the town limits and leave the area, but Sun Storm continued his pursuit and fired on the yellow Autobot. Inside of Bumblebee, Sam and Alexis tried to remain seated amid the chaos. Sun Storm fired more shots and sent debris flying all around Bumblebee as he raced across the open range. A shot landed several feet in front of Bumblebee, forcing him to shift to his left. Another shot landed in front of him and forced him to shift right. Sun Storm continued to fire shots to keep throwing Bumblebee off course.

One more shot finally sent Bumblebee launching into the air. He quickly ejected Sam and Alexis out of their seats, transformed and caught them in midair. All three of them landed on the ground and slid across the grass, leaving a trail behind them. Sun Storm flew overhead and started to rise up into the sky, eventually preparing to bank around for another attack. Bumblebee deployed his guns and fired on Sun Storm while shielding Sam and Alexis.

Sun Storm avoided the shots as they came and prepared to finish off his target, but an incoming object suddenly struck him. They tumbled over each other and Bumblebee instantly recognized the object as the airborne Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime grabbed one of Sun Storm's wings and tossed him across the sky. Before Bumblebee could react to the timely rescue, he spotted the vehicle forms of Jazz and Crosshairs approaching. The duo immediately transformed and flanked Bumblebee while Optimus Prime landed before them.

"Are you alright, Bumblebee?" Optimus Prime asked.

"We are now, Optimus." Bumblebee replied, barely noticing Alexis briefly living his side.

"Oh my God, you're Optimus Prime." Alexis said shock in her tone.

With only a single glance at the woman, Optimus Prime said, "Jazz, you and Crosshairs escort Bumblebee and his companions back to Autobot City. I will deal with the unknown assailant."

"Consider it done, Prime." Jazz said before Optimus launched skyward.

"Oh sure, leave us with the heavy work." Crosshairs quipped.

While the three Autobots all transformed and raced back to Autobot City, Optimus Prime rose up into the sky to confront the unknown Decepticon. The Decepticon approached Optimus Prime at Mach speed before jolting to a halt and transforming to confront Optimus Prime. Optimus noticed an eerie resemblance between this Decepticon and the deceased Starscream, but that was hardly the one the one thing that concerned him.

"Well, if it isn't the legendary Optimus Prime. My name is Sun Storm and I must say, it's a true honor to meet you face to face."

"Why have you come to Earth, and why have you attacked one of my fellow Autobots?" Optimus Prime said.

"Oh that! Well I can assure you that it's nothing personal. I just needed to get your attention." Sun Storm claimed just before Optimus was blasted from behind and sent crashing to the ground below.

A much larger jet approached Sun Storm and transformed to reveal Clench. "Tarn has some words for you, Sun Storm. You'd better not keep him waiting."

"Nice to see you too, Clench." Sun Storm said.

"Get moving. I'll deal with Optimus," Clench demanded, and Sun Storm departed. On the ground, Optimus Prime was recovering and on one knee when Clench dropped in front of him. "So, you're Optimus Prime? I have to admit; I was expecting a little more if the legends are to believed."

Optimus Prime was upright to confront Clench, deploying his rifle in response. "I have met you compatriot, but I do not recognize him anymore than you."

Clench deployed a rifle of his own and replied, "Name's Clench, and you have someone Megatron wants."

Optimus Prime immediately determined that Clench was speaking of Windblade. Without waiting, Optimus Prime opened fire on Clench. Clench gunned his boot thrusters and drifted to his right. He stayed on the move as Optimus Prime fired on him, and then he started shooting back. Optimus Prime quickly started mimicking Clench's move while continuing to fire on him. Every shot that missed exploded across the landscape before Optimus Prime launch into the air. Clench followed.

In the air, Optimus Prime continued to fire on Clench as the Decepticon shifted from one side to the next. Clench fired back, missing Optimus Prime as he shifted back and forth. Optimus Prime retracted his rifle and jetted straight forward, while Clench continued to fire on him. His shots missed their target before Optimus Prime managed to close the distance and land a straight right cross onto Clench's face. The strike sent Clench hurtling back and Optimus pressed his advantage with more hard strikes. Each one found their mark before Clench finally managed to block one.

Clench was still forced back and the brief fight paused. "I take it back; you are as tough as the legends claim."

"I have much more to offer, Clench." Optimus Prime stated.

"Good," Clench said as he deployed a set of katana-like blade. "This is going to be fun."

* * *

In Autobot City, the alarms were blaring and the Autobots scrambled to activate the city's defenses. Ultra Magnus monitored Talatraan II as it picked up an object descended from the sky. He instantly knew right from the beginning that the object was the _Harbinger_ warship. The screen switched to a live feed from outside the city wall, and he saw the _Harbinger_ in full view. He also noted a series of dirt trails approaching from the west and recognized the vehicles leaving them; the Contructicons and the Combaticons.

It wasn't long before Elita One arrived at the area. "Magnus, we've got incoming."

"I noticed. City defenses are activated. Get every available Autobot on the ramparts." Ultra Magnus said.

"Got it." Elita One said before she departed.

Afterward, Ultra Magnus tapped into a separate communication to Brainstorm. "Brainstorm, what's the status on the Technobots?"

" _They're not ready for field deployment yet, Magnus."_ Brainstorm replied.

"Well, work faster and get them ready. We're going to need them if Megatron has the Constructicons and Combaticons form up."

" _I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker."_ Brainstorm complained.

"Duly noted." Ultra Magnus said before cutting the feed, grabbing his rifle and bolting out of the room.

* * *

The _Harbinger_ maintained a stationary position above the city. The underside hatch opened and Megatron appeared with Dreadwing and Blitzwing flanking him. "Dreadwing, you will coordinate the Combaticons and Constructions."

"As you wish, Lord Megatron." Dreadwing declared before diving from the hatch and transforming.

Blitzwing hesitated to moved and muttered, "This is all wrong."

Megatron heard Blitzwing and confronted him directly. "You have an opportunity to rectify your betrayal of the Decepticons, Blitzwing."

Blitzwing looked at Megatron and defiantly stated, "I won't fight for the Decepticons anymore, Megatron. You can kill me now because I don't care."

Megatron held up a small device in his hand pressed the trigger. Instantly, Blitzwing felt a massive surge of pain in every circuit of his being. "I suspected you would attempt to defy me, Blitzwing, so I had Shockwave install a special module to insure your cooperation. You belong to me, like it or not."

"You… you're a psychopath." Blitzwing hurtfully declared.

"That's a matter of perspective. Now get down there and FIGHT!" Then Megatron pushed Blitzwing out of the hatch without waiting.

Then Tarn contacted Megatron from the ground. _"Megatron, what're you doing?"_

"Taking what is mine." Megatron said before cutting the communication and jumping from the _Harbinger_.

On the ground, the Combaticons spread out across the field. Onslaught traveled in one direction while Brawl and Swindle traveled in the opposite direction. From their positions and transforming, they opened fire on the city walls. There shots left scorch marks on the wall. At the same time, Blast Off and Vortex fired shots from above, eventually being joined by Dreadwing. Blitzwing was still coming down but managed to halt his fall with his thruster. He was hesitant to attack the city, but then Megatron flew right passed him. The leader of the Decepticons gave Blitzwing a menacing glare, and that prompted the reluctant Blitzwing to follow.

The Constructicons eventually joined the assault and spread out across the field in teams of two. Scrapper and Mixmaster went in one direction while Hook and Long Haul went in another direction and Scavenger and Bonecrusher went in yet another. They took position around the outskirts of the city and fired it. The city's defenses returned fire, raining projectiles at the Decepticons. From afar, the DJD remained on the sidelines.

Off Road contacted Tarn and said, _"I guess Megatron couldn't help but jump the gun."_

" _He's certainly not one for patience, is he? Should we join on the fight, Tarn?"_ Knock Out asked.

"Negative, stay in your positions and wait for Silhouette to give us the okay to go," Tarn replied. "And, remind me to beat some sense into Sun Storm when he gets back here."

* * *

Elsewhere, Bumblebee, Jazz and Crosshairs were quickly under fire from Sun Storm while on approach to the city. Every single shot from Sun Storm landed around the three Autobots to throw them off course. Inside of Bumblebee, Sam and Alexis braced for every blow that came and every swerve that Bumblebee made. Sam looked through Bee's side view mirror to see the bright orange jet bearing down on them with missile strikes. Bumblebee swerved right to avoid the strike, while Jazz quickly flanked his fellow Autobot to defend him. Crosshairs started to pull back slightly to trail them. He deployed a gun implement and fired on Sun Storm.

Sun Storm quickly shifted to one side to dodge the incoming laser fire before he returned fire on Crosshairs. The shots sent Crosshairs shifting hard to the left, causing him to break from Jazz and Bumblebee. He managed to recover and regroup with them and fired back at Sun Storm. He missed his shots when Sun Storm banked around them and then fired back. This time, the shots landed directly in front of the Autobots. Jazz and Bumblebee managed to swerve and avoid the impact, but Crosshairs was completely knocked off course. He transformed in mid air and rolled to his side, forcing Jazz and Bumblebee to stop and turn around while Sun Storm flew overhead.

Looking at Jazz and Bee, Crosshairs shouted, "Keep going. I'll cover you."

Without a response back, Jazz and Bumblebee continued toward Autobot City. Sun Storm banked back and prepared to fire on them, but Crosshairs fired on him first. Crosshairs managed to land a glancing laser shot to Sun Storm's left wing. Sun Storm briefly lost his balance but managed to right himself before turning his attention toward Crosshairs. Crosshairs fired on Sun Storm as he approached, and Sun Storm fired a missile directly at Crosshairs. Left with little option, Crosshairs quickly abandoned his attack and ducked for cover. The explosion knocked him into a nearby ditch while Sun Storm flew overhead once more.

Sun Storm made his return and approached the ditch, transforming midflight before swiftly landing on the ground. Crosshairs was lying in the ditch with some considerable damage done from the explosion. He tried to get up and failed, and then he saw Sun Storm standing over him. Sun Storm dropped into the ditch and stalked toward Crosshairs. He deployed a long blade from his right arm and held the tip to the neck of Crosshairs. Crosshairs just stared defiantly at Sun Storm, who held a sly smirk on his face.

"You have Spark for an Autobot, I'll give you that," Sun Storm said before drawing his blade back. "Too bad it's not enough to let you live."

"You'd better make it a good one, Decepticon punk." Crosshairs said in defiance.

Just before the killing blow could be landed, Tarn suddenly bellowed through the radio, _"SUN STORM!"_

"Hello, Tarn. Is it something important, because I'm a little busy at the moment." Sun Storm casually replied.

" _I don't know or care what you're doing but you'd better call it off. Megatron's making his move on Autobot City, so get your worthless winglets back here right now."_ Tarn shouted over the radio.

"In a moment, Tarn. Just let me finish…" Sun Storm said.

" _NOW!"_

Sun Storm lowered his blade and looked at Crosshairs, who was still down on the ground and wounded. "You got off easy, Autobot. Next time, you won't be so lucky." With that, Sun Storm launched skyward and flew away.

Crosshairs, wounded but still functional, muttered, "Yeah, you'd better run!"

* * *

On the ramparts, Sideswipe and Windblade rushed toward the front right gun implements that were currently targeting the groundside Decepticons. The Constructicons Bonecrusher and Scavenger were ducking under the laser fire of the guns. Another gun implement was shooting into the sky at Vortex and Blast Off… and Dreadwing. Sideswipe visibly seethed at the sight of the Decepticon that killed Sunstreaker. Without a second thought, he opened fire on Dreadwing. The first few shots fired from Sideswipe drew the attention of Deardwing, while one shot struck his wing.

Undeterred, Dreadwing shifted course and dove straight toward the gun implements. He dodged the fire as he drew closer, while Sideswipe pressed his own assault on his brother's killer. Dreadwing fired on Sideswipe in response, striking the far sides of the angry Autobot. Sideswipe didn't flinch as he continued to fire on Dreadwing even as the Decepticon fired a missile straight at him. Sideswipe refused to budge. He didn't care if he died, as long as Dreadwing went with him. At the last second, Windblade tackled Sideswipe to the floor. The missile struck and the impact and explosion sent Windblade and Sideswipe to the hard metallic floor, while Dreadwing pulled up and away into the sky.

Sideswipe threw Windblade off of him and shouted, "Why'd you do that?"

"I had to save you." Windblade said.

"I don't need your help." Sideswipe snapped.

"You're not supposed to die here. That's not in your future, Sideswipe." Windblade claimed.

"You don't know anything about my future." Sideswipe argued.

"I know that everyone dies if the Autobots and Decepticons don't stop fighting long enough to stop M.E.C.H." Windblade argued back.

In the middle of their bickering, Megatron landed before them and set his red optics on Windblade. "So, you're the so-called futurist, are you not?"

Sideswipe, already enraged from dealing with Dreadwing, drew his swords and charged Megatron despite Windblade's protest. Like a madman, Sideswipe unleashed a series of slashing motions at Megatron. Megatron easily avoided the wild attacks and landed a swift backhand on Sideswipe's face to knock him to the floor. Sideswipe recovered and continued his assault but he was missing every single blow, and Megatron quickly responded with a hard left cross to his face once again. This time, Sideswipe was staggered and dazed, and Megatron landed one more backhand. The blow sent Sideswipe tumbling from the ramparts to the main courtyard below. Windblade stared in shock at Sideswipe's defeat before turning that shock toward Megatron. Then she drew her energon sword.

Megatron began a slow and steady approach toward Windblade and said to her, "How fortunate to make your acquaintance. Now, about this future thing…"

To Be Continued…

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, that's a wrap on this entry. I decided to go ahead and make this into a two-part event so I wouldn't have to overlap anything. Plus, I've got a return planned for some old friends… and I don't think the Decepticons are going to like it. Keep it to yourselves, please. I'm serious now...

DO... NOT... SPOIL IT!

Don't forget to read and review and I'll be back with the next chapter. Peace!


	11. The Hunted Pt II

Disclaimer: Well, here we go with the next chapter of the story. I promise a big return for this one so I hope it won't disappoint.

On a very personal note, I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my cousin Roberto, who sadly passed away recently. You will be missed, Berto. Rest in Peace.

Another dedicate goes to Leon White, better known as The Man They Call Vader. Rest in Peace.

* * *

Chapter XI

Optimus Prime engaged Clench in aerial combat, taking a wide array of shots at him with his rifle. Despite his sheer size, which was roughly the same as Optimus himself, Clench weaved around the shots like they were nothing. He responded to the rifle shots with shots of his own. Optimus Prime managed to avoid the shots himself and returned fire in earnest. They circled around in the air trading laser blasts but neither could land a definitive blow. Clench then halted his shots and drew his blade before jetting straight at Optimus Prime. He took a precision swipe at Optimus Prime, who just managed to avoid the blow. Optimus avoid the next few slicing attacks before landing a straight punch to Clench's face.

Clench was only briefly dazed but recovered just in time to take more punches to his face and torso. Optimus Prime pressed on and landed blow after blow to stagger and even briefly disorient Clench. Clench attempted to respond with blade strikes, most of which Optimus blocked with his forearms and other he dodged with relative ease. Optimus went for a straight punch but Clench saw it coming this time. He leaned back and let Optimus miss the blow, and then he flipped the Autobot leader up and over. Optimus recovered from the throw but took a hard right hook to his face from Clench.

Now Clench pressed the advantage with a combination of blade strikes and punches. Optimus Prime went in defensive mode, blocking most of the shots but still taking a few knocks to his chassis. Clench pressed on with more strikes but then halted his assault and pulling his blade back. This was a mistake, because it gave Optimus Prime a chance to retaliate. He drew his secret weapon: the Star Saber. With one deft stroke, Optimus Prime unleashed a wave of energy that sent Clench flying backward. Clench went tumbling in the opposing direction a good distance from Optimus Prime before finally recovering. When he did recover, Optimus Prime was ready to continue the duel with the Star Saber in hand.

Rather than growl in anger, Clench audibly chuckled. "I see why Megatron holds you in such high regard, Optimus."

"Why has Megatron sent you here to capture Windblade? What is he planning?" Optimus Prime asked.

"What Megatron's planning to do isn't really my concern. It's nothing personal, Prime. What we've got going is just business." Clench claimed.

"You made it personal when you invade my home and target my family." Optimus Prime declared before engaging Clench once more.

Clench engaged Optimus Prime and the two clashed weapons against one another. It was immediately apparent that Optimus Prime had the better weapon as he pushed the Star Saber against Clench's weapon. Clench fought back and pushed against Optimus Prime before landing a hard kick to his chassis. Optimus was forced back few feet and Clench charged forward, landing a brutal punch to the face. The force of the punch was enough to force Optimus Prime to drop the Star Saber. Clench then attempted to slash at Optimus, but Optimus caught the blade between his palms and he snapped it in two. The suddenness of Optimus Prime's action left Clench bewildered and open to a hard strike to his own face.

Optimus Prime pressed the attack with repeated face and body blows and each hit stunned Clench and forcing him back further and further. One more punch to the face stunned Clench long enough for Optimus Prime to halt his attack. Looking down to the Earth, he found the Star Saber resting on the bedrock and jetted toward it. Clench recovered and saw Optimus Prime headed for his weapon. He quickly opened fire on Optimus Prime, landing a couple of shots but not enough to stop him. Frustrated, Clench jetted after Optimus Prime. Optimus Prime was within reach and he extended his hand to grab the Star Saber, but Clench rammed right into him.

The impact sent Optimus tumbling to the ground and leaving a dust trail in his wake. Clench stood over the Star Saber and looked down upon it with marked interest. He briefly glanced at Optimus as he was started to rise up. Looking back at the Saber, Clench picked it up by its hilt. Optimus Prime was fully upright when he saw Clench holding the Star Saber with hand around the hilt and the other hand tracing the blade. Rather than attack, Clench studied the impressive craftsmanship of the Star Saber before the ethereal glow vanished.

While Clench tried to figure out what had happened, Optimus Prime landed a hard right punch to Clench's face. The impact sent Clench to the ground and Optimus Prime picked up the Star Saber. Clench was getting back up and ready to fight, but a sudden barraged of laser blasts drew his attention. He looked to his left and saw Crosshairs firing on him. The attack ultimately distracted Clench long enough for Optimus Prime to hit him with another energy wave. The wave knocked Clench back a good distance and sent him slamming into the ground hard. Optimus Prime rushed over Crosshairs and helped him to his feet.

"Are you alright, Crosshairs?" Optimus Prime asked.

Crosshairs had a few knocks on his chassis but nothing serious. "I've been worse. We've got to get back to the city. The 'Cons are probably laying waste to it by now."

"Understood." Optimus Prime said before blasting off into the sky.

After a silent moment, Crosshairs sarcastically shouted, "It's okay. I'll drive from here."

Exasperated, Crosshairs transformed and drove off after Optimus Prime. Meanwhile, Clench was starting to get up. He quickly pressed his fingers to his head. "Tarn, do you read me…"

* * *

Outside of Autobot City, Tarn immediately received Clench's call and responded, "I'm here, Clench. What's going on?"

" _Optimus Prime is headed your way."_ Clench replied.

"Copy that," Tarn said before switching the channel to Silhouette. "Silhouette, we're waiting on you."

* * *

Inside Autobot City, Silhouette snuck her way toward the main control area that housed Talatraan II. No Autobots where present, which their first big mistake as far as Silhouette was concerned. She entered the room and made her way to the super computer, staying under cloaking to avoid being spotted. She scanned the controls until she found what she wanted. Pressing the right buttons, Silhouette started to work on deactivate the city's defenses.

"Tarn, get ready to move. I'm bringing the city's defenses down." Silhouette said just before some sort of defensive system suddenly stunned her.

The jolt appeared to destabilize her cloaking tech and the voice of Talatraan II rang out, "INTRUDER DETECTED! INTRUDER DETECTED!"

Within a moment's notice, the most unlikely of Autobots appeared: Rattletrap. "Who're you supposed to be?"

"This was supposed to be easy," Silhouette claimed before taking a shot at Rattletrap and forcing him to duck around the corner of the entrance. Then she got back on the super computer. "Tarn, I'm bringing the main gun offline."

She did just that just before Rattletrap tackled her to the floor. Silhouette managed to pin the smaller Autobot to the floor. "I got you right where I want you, Decepticon!" he claimed.

"Sure you do!" Silhouette said before getting up to her feet and heading for the entrance. She turned back to face Rattletrap and said to him, "You're cute, so I'll let you live." Then she was gone.

Rattletrap slumped back and said to himself, "Femme Cons!"

* * *

The main guns suddenly shut down, prompting the Decepticons to push forward on the city. The Constructicons made their move, blasting at the outer wall and leaving numerous blast points. At the same time, the Combaticons under Onslaught's instructions continued a series of precision attacks on the weakest points. Further out from the fighting, Tarn started to communicate with the rest of the DJD.

"We've got our opening. Off Road, you and Knock Out cover the right flank; give Silhouette a clear line out. I'll cover the left flank." Tarn said.

" _Copy that, Tarn!"_ Off Road replied.

" _Uh, what about Sun Storm and Clench?"_ Knock Out asked.

"I'll have Clench accompany you. As for Sun Storm…" Tarn said just as Sun Storm arrived right on time.

"Did someone speak my name?" he said.

Tarn scowled under his mask when he told Sun Storm, "You're with me, Sun Storm. I want you to provide air cover while I strike the western wall."

"I can do that, no problem." Sun Storm confidently exclaimed before Tarn grabbed him.

"One more thing; if you deviate from the mission again, I'll melt you down to your last diode. You get me?" Tarn snapped.

Without waiting for a reply from Sun Storm, Tarn transformed into an alien tank vehicle and rumbled along the terrain while Sun Storm assumed his jet form and took off. On the other side, Off Road and Knock Out drove along the terrain until they reached an area away from the fighting. They concentrated fire on a far corner of the city wall. Tarn cut loose with a volley of heavy artillery while Sun Storm performed a series of evasive maneuvers to avoid the laser fire from the Autobots on the ground.

Meanwhile on the rampart, Megatron was still stalking Windblade and inching closer to her. Windblade was ready to fight if she to fight. She had her energon sword out in front of her and she took up a fighting stance that visible impressed Megatron. He deployed his energon mace in response. Behind Megatron, Sideswipe was climbing back onto the rampart. Windblade saw this and lowered her sword.

"Megatron, you have to listen to me." Windblade said.

"Oh, I'm listening alright. If you're really from the future as you claim, then you know how the Decepticons can finally defeat the Autobots." Megatron claimed.

"You don't understand. Something far worse is coming and if you and your Decepticons don't stop fighting the Autobots, it's going to happen again." Windblade desperately stated.

Megatron only chuckled at the claimed and pushed forward for Windblade, but Sideswipe quickly grabbed the tyrant's leg. The distraction allowed provided Windblade with an opening to blast Megatron, but then she heard that low hum again. Though she initial dismissed it as paranoia before, this time she was certain of the source: the city itself. Going on faith, Windblade crouched down and placed her hand on the steel floor. Megatron reached down, grabbed Sideswipe by his neck and hoisted him up. As Megatron squeezed, the floor suddenly shifted underneath him and dropped him into a breach. Sideswipe almost went down but went with him but Windblade caught his arm and pulled him up.

Gathering himself, Sideswipe quickly asked, "What did you just do?"

Windblade responded, "I… don't know. WATCH OUT!" Windblade pushed Sideswipe to the floor just before Dreadwing flew overhead with laser shots.

Dreadwing started to bank around for another pass, and Sideswipe quickly opened fire on him. At least two shots struck Dreadwing and forced him to pull away, but it allowed Megatron to resurface from below. At Sideswipe's behest, Windblade transformed and took to the sky. Dreadwing back around and quickly gave chase. At the same time, Sideswipe charged Megatron and was met with a heavy punch to the face, and Sideswipe dropped to the metal floor in a heap while Megatron stood over him.

"Dreadwing told me how he killed your brother Sunstreaker," Megatron stated as he armed his fusion cannon and aimed the barrel down on Sideswipe. "Prepare to join him in oblivion."

"MEGATRON!"

Megatron looked up and quickly braced himself when Optimus Prime barreled right into him. The momentum carried both of them off the rampart and into the sky where Optimus Prime tossed Megatron a distance from him. Megatron recovered quickly and growled with outrage before opening fire on his hated rival. Optimus Prime charged forward, deflecting the shots that approached him with the Star Saber. He quickly closed the distance between him and Megatron and tried a near precise slash, but Megatron managed to avoid the attack. Megatron landed a hard left hook and then a right cross, and then Optimus Prime returned with a hard right of his own.

"I will have that time traveler, Prime." Megatron shouted.

"Not as long as I function, Megatron." Optimus Prime replied.

"You're like a space cockroach; I snuff you out and you always seem to come back." Megatron spat.

"I will always return as long you threaten Earth or Cybertron or any planet. That is my word to you, Megatron." Optimus spat back.

"But you can't save your own city, can you," Megatron claimed before pressing his fingers to his head. "Scrapper, Onslaught, it is time."

Down on the ground, the Constructicons and Combaticons regrouped in their respective teams. The Constructicons were the first to begin the process of combining. The six formed together and soon enough, Devastator stood in their place. Then the Combaticons took their turn to unite and within moments, Bruticus was also online. The two giants started to advance on the city. The Autobots on the ramparts fired volley after volley at Devastator and Bruticus, but it was to no avail. In a position on the ramparts, Ultra Magnus, Hotrod, Arcee, Elita One and Wheeljack ducked behind their cover.

"That's great. Megatron brought the big guns." Hotrod said.

"Yeah and we don't have any combiners left. Breakaway and Silverbolt are off planet and the Technobots are still out of commission." Arcee pointed out.

Wheeljack started working on a virtual display and Ultra Magnus said, "Wheeljack, this is hardly the time to be playing games."

"I had a feeling that Megatron was going to bring Devastator and Bruticus, so I planned accordingly for it. Rattletrap, are you there?" Wheeljack said.

" _What'd you want?"_ Rattletrap replied.

"Are you at Talatraan II. I just uploaded the following frequency and I need you to activate the Ground Bridge. You can start it from Talatraan II." Wheeljack explained.

" _Yeah, I got your frequency and… OH, YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME! THEM? YOU WANT THOSE THINGS HERE?"_ Rattletrap shouted so long that Ultra Magnus and could hear him.

"Just do it, Rattletrap." Wheeljack snapped.

" _That's it! We're all gonna die."_ Rattletrap replied.

"Wheeljack…?" Elita One said.

"Trust me."

Down below, Devastator and Bruticus advanced on the city even as the Autobots fired on them. Wheeljack spent much his time checking the virtual display and hoping that Rattletrap did as instructed. Devastator was within striking distance of the city and prepared to punch his way inside, but the opening of a portal suddenly startled him. The initial reaction pushed him back while also halting the advance of Bruticus. They weren't prepared for what came out of the portal. They heard heavy footsteps from inside the portal before noticing a shadow emerging. The shadow picked up speed until it revealed itself; it was Grimlock.

With a bestial roar, Grimlock charged forward straight at Devastator and bit down on the giant's right arm. Bruticus moved to assist Devastator before Slag charged forward and rammed into him. Swoop was the next of the Dinobots to fly into the fight, targeting Bruticus and attacking his face. Devastator fought back against Grimlock and pushed him off, but he started to lose his balance when the ground seemed to shake. Sludge appeared from the portal and stomped on the ground to unbalance while Snarl appeared and landed a glancing blow to Devastator. Quickstrike was the final Dinobot to appear and he leaped onto Bruticus' face and started scratching at in mercilessly.

On the rampart, the Autobots looked on in disbelief. In the sky, Megatron had a look on his face that spoke volumes of outrage. On the ground, Tarn showed no signs of surprised or disbelief or anger. Inside, he was fuming. Around the battlefield, Knock Out and Off Road stared with stunned astonishment. They were unprepared for Jazz and Bumblebee to coming right at them. Bumblebee ran right into Off Road and knocked him down, while Knock Out barely avoided getting hit by Jazz.

Back on the ramparts, Hotrod saw Jazz and Bumblebee approaching and shouted, "Jazz and Bee are incoming."

" _Yo, somebody in there wanna give us warm welcome?"_ Jazz replied.

"Hey, how 'bout me? Where's my warm welcome?" Crosshairs added, and Hotrod could see him approaching from behind Jazz and Bumblebee.

Hotrod also noticed Clench catching up to the three Autobots. With Ultra Magnus and Elita One joining Hotrod, they quickly opened fire on Clench. The immediately bombardment of laser shots threw Clench off course, but he righted himself and shifted his focus on the ramparts. Clench returned fire on the rampart and forced the Autobots to duck for cover before flying overhead. But he was unaware that Sideswipe was still present, so he wasn't ready for the shots Sideswipe fired. The shots struck Clench on his underside and completely threw him off course. Clench managed to transform right before he crashed into the ground right where Tarn was ducking for cover from the Autobot's laser fire. Within moments, Knock Out arrived to patch up Clench. With the path clear, Jazz, Bumblebee and Crosshairs made it into the city.

The second the three Autobots made it inside and transformed, Silhouette sped right at them without slowing down. Bumblebee managed to grab Sam and Alexis before Silhouette could hit, while Jazz and Crosshairs quickly opened fire on her. Silhouette was far enough away so Off Road and Sun Storm could return fire, prompting the Autobots to fall back. Soon afterward, Off Road and Sun Storm fell back with Silhouette.

Meanwhile, the Dinobots continued to battle Devastator and Bruticus in a mostly even battle of attrition. Devastator managed to force Grimlock off of him but took a hit from Snarl's spiked tail. Sludge got behind Devastator and hit him with his front legs, and then Grimlock unleashed a stream of fire breath on him. At the same time, Bruticus had his hands full against Slag, Swoop and Quickstrike. Quickstrike remained on the face of Bruticus ever since emerging from the portal while Swoop fired a rocket at him to throw him off. Slag charged forward and rammed into Bruticus, sending the giant toppling to the ground in a heap.

Devastator recovered and pushed Grimlock back before shouting, "Devastator can not be defeated. Devastator is the most powerful robot of all."

In response, Grimlock shouted, "Devastator strong, but me Grimlock king."

Grimlock pushed forward once more and burring his giant head into Devastator's torso. Devastator fought back with hard punches but Sludge joined his leader in pushing the giant. Snarl got behind Devastator and used his tail to trip Devastator. The resultant impact forced Devastator to disengage into his six Constructicon components. The Constructicons eventually retreated. Grimlock briefly dropped his guard long enough for Bruticus to surprise him, but then Slag and Swoop retaliated against Bruticus. Quickstrike sprung forward and slashed at Bruticus' all over the body before Bruticus threw him off, only for Swoop to catch him.

Bruticus bellowed, "No one is stronger than Bruticus, not even Dinobots."

The Dinobots regrouped and Grimlock shouted, "Dinobots…. UNITE."

On the rampart, a shocked Ultra Magnus looked at Wheeljack and said, "Did Grimlock just say what I think he said?"

Wheeljack gleefully replied, "Yep!"

The Dinobots gathered around and all started transforming at the same time. Up above, Megatron could believe what he was seeing and neither could Optimus Prime. Snarl and Sludge transformed into a set of legs, Grimlock formed a torso and Slag and Swoop transformed into a pair of arms. Bruticus didn't back down even as the Dinobots merged into a single entity, even as a bestial-looking head emerged from the torso which Grimlock formed. The new bestial giant made from the Dinobots, stomped forward toward Bruticus, and Bruticus actually backed away.

With a mighty bellow, it declared, "I AM FIRE. I AM… VOLCANICUS!"

Though he was initially taken aback, Bruticus refocused and charged forward toward the hulking beast calling itself Volcanicus. The giants collided in a shower of sparks of metal grinding against metal. Bruticus appeared to have the upper hand as he pushed against Volcanicus. Then Volcanicus started to push back, and he did so with more brute strength than Bruticus expected. Bruticus tried to struggle against the beast but it was to no avail and eventually, Volcanicus struck Bruticus with a head butt.

Bruticus was stunned and Volcanicus pressed his advantage. He wailed on Bruticus with hard and extremely brutal punches. Each strike pushed Bruticus back step by step, but Bruticus wasn't about to go down. He managed to land a giant punch of his own to stagger Volcanicus and push him back. Volcanicus recovered and landed another heavy strike and followed with another strike and another. Bruticus was starting to lose ground and Volcanicus pressed on with more strikes that rocked him to the point where Bruticus was close to disengaging.

Then Quickstrike, the lone Dinobot not part of Volcanicus, sprinted forward toward the beastly giant and transformed into a sword-like weapon. Volcanicus charged forward and took a vicious slash at Bruticus, striking him flush across the chassis. Like clockwork, Bruticus struggled to stay in one peace but he eventually disengaged into the five Combaticons. They fell on top of each other in a heap, badly damaged but functional. Volcanicus roared at them and forced the Combaticons to retreat.

"VOLCANICUS IS KING!"

In the sky, Megatron bellowed, "How is this possible?" Then he took a hard strike from Optimus Prime.

"You have lost, Megatron. Call off your assault, now." Optimus Prime demanded.

"Never, Prime!" Megatron declared before charging at Optimus Prime again.

Meanwhile, Windblade was desperately trying to evade Dreadwing. Dreadwing was shooting volley after volley to stop Windblade from escaping. Windblade dove toward the city in an effort to force Dreadwing to abandon his chase, but Dreadwing wasn't about to fall for it. He followed her down, but he was unaware that it was precisely what Windblade wanted. The moment she was below the length of the out wall, she pulled up. Dreadwing did exactly the same thing, and Sideswipe dove right on top of him. The suddenness of the move sent Dreadwing into a rotation to get Sideswipe off of him, but Sideswipe fought back to stay on. Dreadwing started pulling up toward the sky with Sideswipe still holding on, and Windblade was quick to follow them.

Dreadwing climbed as high as his thrusters could propel him while Sideswipe continued to hold on. But then Dreadwing performed another barrel roll and Sideswipe started to lose his grip. Sideswipe was eventually forced to let go and he went into free fall while Dreadwing pulled away. Windblade saw Sideswipe in trouble and jetted after him. As soon as she was within range of Sideswipe, Windblade transformed and grabbed his arm. Then she gunned her wing turbines to slow their descent back to Autobot City.

Landing back on the rampart, Windblade and Sideswipe exchanged looks. It was after a long pause that Sideswipe gave Windblade a nod, which Windblade returned. Before they knew what hit them, a blast knocked them down. Sideswipe dropped off the rampart again while Windblade lay unconscious, and Blitzwing landed on the rampart. Standing over the unconscious time traveler, Blitzwing reluctantly picked her up and flew away with her.

Megatron beat back Optimus Prime when Blitzwing contacted him. _"I got what want you wanted, Megatron. Can we leave now?"_

"Take the time traveler back to the ship, Blitzwing." Megatron replied just as he saw Optimus Prime approaching.

"You are not taking Windblade, Megatron." Optimus Prime declared.

"Want a bet," Megatron said and fired his fusion cannon, catching Optimus Prime in the shoulder and sending him tumbling toward Autobot City. Megatron then said, "Decepticons, fall back."

On Megatron's orders, the Decepticons began a immediately retreat, with the Combaticons falling back and the DJD doing the same as well. At the same time, Optimus Prime was in free fall now, but he managed to recover enough to get his flight pack online. He returned to the rampart where the Autobots regrouped with Ultra Magnus, Arcee, Hotrod, Elita One and Wheeljack. Optimus Prime looked out onto the battlefield where the hulking Volcanicus roamed. Volcanicus eventually disengaged into the six Dinobots.

Down in the courtyard, Jazz, Bumblebee and Crosshairs arrived and Jazz helped Sideswipe back to a seated position. Sam and Alexis were among them and Sam looked around frantically for Windblade but saw no sign of her. She looked at Sideswipe, the Autobot who was supposed to be watching her best friend, and approached him.

Sam asked pointblank, "What happened?" Sideswipe had no response.

* * *

Author's Note: That's another chapter in the books and…. They're back!

That's right, it's the return of the Dinobots as well as the debut of Volcanicus. But unfortunately, the Decepticons have captured Windblade.

I initially wanted to start this chapter in the future, but I opted to remain in the present to avoid interrupting the flow of the story. So what happens next? Tune in for the next chapter to find out. Peace!

IN MEMORY OF

Leon White (Big Van Vader)  
1955-2018

Roberto Reyes  
Cousin, Brother, Son, Father  
Family


	12. Fragments Of Broken Bonds

Disclaimer: So right off the bat, I am sorry for the long wait. I've been very distracted by other things, you know, real world adult stuff. Not THAT adult stuff, get your brains out the gutter, freaks.

I'm kidding, you know I love ya'll.

Anyways, here's the latest chapter of the story so I hope you enjoy it. I own nothing out of the Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XII

 _(Future timeline)_

Autobot City was long abandoned when the Chimeras began their brutal assault against the Transformers and any Humans that stood beside them. It was a massacre when it happened; nearly every Cybertronian was slaughtered and it made no difference if they were Autobot or Decepticon. The Humans faired little better. Every major city across the country was ripped apart, and every Human in those cities was either killed or left to die. There was hardly even a slight indication of life left on Earth.

Yet against all odd, Optimus Prime arrived at the abandon former stronghold of the Autobots after received a beacon. He was still puzzled as to how he was receiving a signal, and even more so, who was sending it. There shouldn't have been anyone left in the city, but someone or something was trying to make contact. Cautiously, Optimus Prime drove up to the main entrance but he didn't transform. He didn't want to give his position away to Flamewar and her Chimeras. So he waited, remaining in vehicle form and hoped that his remaining allies arrived.

Then after a long wait, Bumblebee and Arcee arrived and parked beside Optimus Prime. They made no attempts to communicate. After another arduous wait, Brainstorm and Megatron arrived. The main entrance suddenly opened, further adding speculation of a mysterious force behind the city walls. The Transformers entered the city while remaining in their vehicle forms. Once they were all inside, the gate closed. A bright blue light was shown along the walls. Brainstorm recognized it as a scanning system to ensure that no one was infected or carrying a sort of bomb.

He transformed within moments of the light fading, and then Optimus Prime, Bumblebee, Arcee, Brainstorm and Megatron followed his lead. "That's an energon dampening field. It's designed to shield our signatures from outside intruders."

"It's a novel idea. Too bad that the Chimeras most likely know where we are anyway." Megatron said.

"Even if they did, it would take them a long time to break down the walls." Brainstorm said.

"Be that as it may, it doesn't change the reality that someone or something drew us here. We need to uncover the source of the signal, so let's move." Optimus Prime said.

The Transformers ventured into the darkened halls of the abandon city, staying spread out to avoid knocking into each other. Optimus Prime and Megatron took the lead while Bumblebee and Arcee followed close behind and Brainstorm took the rear. There was an uncomfortable silence among the group as they traveled through the city, and the feeling of invasiveness washed over them. Brainstorm stopped for a moment and turned around. He looked up and saw a single camera looking back at him and following his every move. That was more than enough indication that Brainstorm needed to know that he and his friends were being watched.

By whom exactly was the question. Optimus Prime and Megatron continued to lead the way forward. Perhaps it was a stroke of good fortune that Optimus Prime hadn't forgotten the layout of Autobot City even after 30 Earth years. But the city should've been long shut down after the Chimeras began their attack. If someone was in fact still in the city, trapped and isolated from the outside world, then Optimus Prime was left to feel a sense of regret. At least Megatron didn't feel the same sense of regret, as morbid as Optimus thought it to be.

After a long trek through the halls, the Transformers made their way into the command area. To their surprise, Talatraan II was active. It was at low power, likely conversing energy to maintain itself. Brainstorm approached the computer and worked the console. The others covered him while he did so. The screen was generally intact save for a few cracks, but the imagery was still visible enough to make out.

"Anything of note, Brainstorm?" Optimus Prime asked.

"I found some records dating back to 2013, around the time the first Chimera attacks too place. According to these files, Optimus, you and several Autobots mounted an incursion into the M.E.C.H. facility where Flamewar was built." Brainstorm stated.

"So we did eventually find it." Optimus Prime surmised.

"Yeah, but so did the Decepticons. A battle took place, during which Flamewar came online and slaughtered members of each side… as well as several Humans, including Silas." Brainstorm explained.

"What about the Chimeras themselves?" Megatron asked.

"Flamewar altered the Transformers she killed in the initial attack, and she turned them into what they are now. Then they spread out across the country but not before moving straight for Autobot City and the _Harbinger._ " Brainstorm stated.

Bumblebee listened to Brainstorm's explanation when he noticed something moving in the shadows outside the main room. "Arcee, did you see that?"

Arcee replied, "I didn't see anything, Bee." Bumblebee wasn't convinced and inched toward the exit.

"Hold up, I think I found something. It looks like an audio recording." Brainstorm said.

"Can you play it?" Optimus asked.

Brainstorm worked out the control, gaining some considerable white noise from the system before the recording. _"My name is… anyone hearing… has abandon us… left us defense… against these things… no one left… Ultra Magnus, Elita One, Wheeljack, the Dinobots… all gone… this is all… fault… I'm the only one left. Damn him… damn all of them."_

Despite the garbled message, Optimus Prime recognized the voice in the recording. Before he could reveal it however, a blaster shot came into the room and struck the screen of Talatraan II. The five Transformers immediately tensed up and gathered together against the lone figure outside of the control area. Optimus Prime stepped forward to confront the figure, barely making out a set of glowing blue lights. Rather than raise his gun up against the intruder, Optimus Prime lowered it as if he wanted to appeal to his attacker.

"I know it is you. You do not need to be afraid…" Optimus said.

"Afraid…" The figure cut Optimus off. "Is that what you call it? Being trapped in this damn city for 30 stellar cycles, waiting for anybody to show up? I'm a long way passed being afraid."

Arcee lowered her gun and muttered, "I know that voice."

"Whatever happened here, we can overcome it together." Optimus Prime said.

"I used to believe that. I used to think you were always right about everything," The figured stepped into the dim light, revealing himself to be a broken and disheveled Hotrod. "But this time, you were wrong."

* * *

Outside and far enough away to avoid detection, a lone Chimera scanned the ruined city for any weaknesses to exploit. Flamewar approached the Chimera, her laser focus solely on the city. She'd known for sometime that the city wasn't as abandoned as was originally believed. The few remaining Transformers had unknowingly made it easier for her hordes to eradicate them. Yet, she didn't immediately act on the knowledge that they were essentially fish in a barrel. The single Chimera that was studying the city turned to its mistress and communicated via electronic verbatim.

"Not yet," Flamewar said. "I want them to feel that false sense of security before we wipe them all out."

* * *

Hotrod led the few remaining Transformers into a dimly lit room. Only a series of pyres lined the walls to light the way through. Each pyre had a name adorning it, and the Sparks of the survivors sank with each and every name. The names read as followed; Ultra Magnus, Elita One, Sideswipe, Wheeljack, Cerebros, Highbrow, Triage, Crosshairs and Rattletrap. There were also pyres set up for the Dinobots and, surprisingly, the Technobots as well. With every name he read, Optimus Prime felt a massive pang of guilt. Bumblebee and Arcee knelt down beside the pyres as if to pay whatever respect they could pay. Brainstorm looked at the pyres for the Technobots and couldn't bring himself to kneel or speak. Megatron merely looked at the pyres with cold indifference.

After a long and sullen silence, Brainstorm finally asked, "What happened?"

Hotrod glared at Brainstorm for a short moment before he replied, "The Chimeras charged the city in droves, and the Dinobots and Technobots were our first line of defense. They fought to a long time but eventually fell in battle."

"What about Ultra Magnus and the others?" Arcee asked.

"Ultra Magnus ordered that every available city gun fire on the Chimeras, and they managed to take out a few pockets here and there. It still wasn't enough and the Chimeras entered city. Magnus rallied the troops and they fought like the Pit, but they fell one by one." Hotrod explained.

"What about you?" Bumblebee asked.

Hotrod hesitated to speak before he said, "I wanted to fight, but Triage locked me away in the infirmary with Spike and Carly while he went to fight. There was so much chaos on the outside that it sent debris falling from the ceiling. Spike and Carly… I… I couldn't save them. I don't know what happened to Daniel and Verity." Hotrod said.

"We found them alive. We sheltered them for the next few Earth years and in that time, they had a daughter they named Samantha." Optimus Prime said.

Hotrod looked at Optimus Prime and asked, "Daniel and Verity… have a daughter?"

"They had one… until they died." Megatron coldly revealed, much to the Autobot's collective chagrin.

Hotrod looked at Optimus Prime with a shock in his optics and said, "All of them?"

Optimus Prime was visibly hesitant to answer the question before Hotrod stepped up to his face. He finally said, "Sadly, Daniel and Verity are no longer with us. As for Samantha…"

Brainstorm quickly chimed in and said, "It's kind of complicated."

Hotrod fell utterly silent at the news that Daniel, his best friend and the closest individual he ever had to brother, was dead. The news of Verity's death added to a shock. Then there was the news that they had a daughter that he'd never met once ever since the Chimeras attacked and wiped out his Autobot friends. It was all too much for him to take in one go. With his emotions finally coming forth, Hotrod landed a hard punch onto Optimus Prime's face. The punch was so hard that it knocked Optimus Prime to the floor. Hotrod wasn't done as he moved to jump onto Optimus Prime in a fit of rage, only for Bumblebee, Arcee and Brainstorm to stop him. The efforts of his perhaps now former friends didn't stop Hotrod from verbally ripping into his former commander.

"HOW COULD YOU DO THIS, OPTIMUS? THEY TRUSTED YOU! WE TRUSTED YOU!"

"Hotrod, stop!" Arcee pleaded even as she tried to hold Hotrod back.

"WHERE WERE YOU, OPTIMUS? HIDING? WHERE WERE YOU WHEN WE NEEDED YOU THE MOST? YOU ABANDONED US, YOU LEFT US ALL HERE TO DIE! WHERE WERE YOU?" Hotrod shouted.

Then Megatron stepped in front of Hotrod and punched him in the chassis hard enough to drop him to his knees. "Where were you, boy? Sitting in an infirmary while your fellow Cybertronians fought a losing battle and died? What help were you to them?"

Hotrod didn't even attempt to argue with Megatron while Optimus Prime made it up to a knee to face his one-time ally. "I could not make it back here in time. The Chimeras were everywhere, attacking at every turn. Time after time, I and the few Autobots under my command tried to make it back here and the Chimeras continually thwarted our efforts. When communication was lost, we had every reason to believe that everyone we loved was gone."

"Not all of us." Hotrod sneered.

"Had I known that you were still functional after all this time, I would have braved armies of Chimeras to reach you and the others left behind. I am sorry, Hotrod." Optimus Prime said.

Hotrod looked at Optimus Prime with too much anger for him to handle and he finally stood up while Optimus Prime did the same. "'Sorry' won't bring my friends back. Nothing will ever bring them back."

"No… it will not!" Optimus quietly said, and Hotrod stood up and stormed off.

Arcee was the most shocked by Hotrod's actions and she stated, "That's not the Hotrod I know."

"He'll get over it," Megatron claimed and turned to Brainstorm. "Brainstorm, can you get the city defenses working again?"

Brainstorm was hesitant to reply after Hotrod's outburst before he said, "It might take some time to get the primary system back up and running. And believe me, we don't have that kind of time to spare."

"Then you'd best get started." Megatron said.

Optimus Prime eventually got up with Bumblebee's aid and said to him, "Bumblebee, you and I will assist Brainstorm in getting the systems back into working order."

"I don't like to question your orders, Optimus, but are you sure that's a get idea?" Bumblebee asked.

"It's better than running away from the inevitable, little scout." Megatron said.

"We have no other options. For the memory of all those we've lost in this war, we must make our stand here… our final stand." Optimus Prime declared.

Arcee was somewhat glad that Optimus Prime didn't included her in the planning stages and she walked out of the room. Once out of sight, Arcee set out to find wherever Hotrod might have gone. Luckily, she didn't have to look far or for too long. Hotrod was at the old memorial wall that had the names of all the Autobots that had died over the many stellar-cycles. Arcee slowly approached Hotrod. His hand was pressed against the wall which he used to steady himself. Even in such way, he had trouble staying vertical. He felt Arcee nearby but he made no effort to acknowledge her presence. Arcee still continued to approach him until she was standing right next to him.

For a time, she didn't touch him. She only looked at the countless scars that he'd received. It was as if Hotrod was a mere shell of himself now, broken on the inside as well as the outside. Arcee looked at the wall and read the names, instantly noting those of Kup and Springer. She looked back at Hotrod, and he still didn't acknowledge her in any way. Arcee started to inch her hand toward Hotrod, and he still didn't move an inch. She finally placed her hand on his shoulder. Hotrod pulled away instantly.

"You don't get to touch me." he said.

"Hotrod…" Arcee said.

"Don't, Arcee. You just as guilty as Optimus, leaving us to die here. You didn't even make the effort to contact us." Hotrod silently accused.

"We had no idea you were alive. We would've been here otherwise." Arcee said.

Hotrod finally spun around to face Arcee and he snapped, "Tell that to Ultra Magnus. Tell it to Elita One or Grimlock or Highbrow or Cerebros."

"You think you're the only one who everyone you loved? We lost Jazz out there. Megatron lost Dreadwing and damn near all of the other Decepticons to those monsters. We are fighting a losing battle out there, so don't act as if you're the only who's lost everything because you ARE NOT the only one." Arcee said.

Hotrod glared at Arcee and said, "You make it sound so easy. What make you think Optimus will be able to save us this time?"

"There's a chance, Hotrod. There's one chance to maybe, just maybe, change everything. We sent someone back in time to change the past so… so things can change here. I understand that you've lost hope, that you've lost faith in Optimus Prime. But he's not the one asking you to trust in him again. I am. We need you, Hotrod. I need you." Arcee said before she walked away, and Hotrod returned to his sorrow all the same.

* * *

Back in the command room, the Autobots had already started working to get the ruined city back in working order. But it was clearly going to be a long process and they only had so much time to do the work. Bumblebee moved any debris that was blocking his way to reach the conduits and start rewiring anything that might give the group an edge against the Chimeras. It wasn't long before Arcee arrived to help Bumblebee. Brainstorm studied the console and huffed at the sight of it but carried on with the work while Optimus Prime approached to aid him.

"Is there anything of note here, Brainstorm?" Optimus asked.

Brainstorm had to rub his face when he told Optimus, "Honestly, Optimus, it's a miracle that the lights are on. This tech hasn't been updated in the past 30 stellar-cycles."

"Can you figure out a way to get the systems working again?" Optimus Prime asked.

"I'm a scientist, not a miracle worker." Brainstorm said.

"Well, you'd better figure it out sooner rather than later." Megatron snarled from the corner.

"I'm sorry. Was I talking to you, Megatron?" Brainstorm snapped back.

Optimus Prime added, "Berating my friends will not subvert our dire circumstances, Megatron."

"I wouldn't have to berate anyone if you had the manifolds to do it yourself, Optimus." Megatron said.

"I shouldn't have to. I trust my Autobots with my life, something you've never learned to do in all the eons I've known you." Optimus Prime said.

"Really? I wonder if that was the last thought that Elita One had before the Chimeras killed her," Megatron said as started to approach Optimus Prime. "I wonder if the last expression on her face was one of trust that you would return."

Optimus Prime stood up and got right into Megatron's face. "I suggest you measure your next words carefully, Megatron."

"Ooh, struck a coil, didn't I," Megatron taunted continued to taunt Optimus, who was balling his hands into fists. "Such a shame that Elita One is no longer alive to see just how ruthless you really are when you want to be. You may like to act the part of the big, courageous leader of the Autobots, but deep down you're just like any other Decepticon you've ever killed. As a matter of fact, you're just like me."

Optimus Prime finally had enough of Megatron's taunting and pushed him hard against the wall. Then Optimus grasped Megatron by the neck and held him there, while the other Autobots looked on in shock. "Do not compare me to you, Megatron. And do not ever bring Elita into any of this again."

"Or what, Optimus? You'll kill me? You had so many chances to do it and you never took any of them. Why should this time be any different?" Megatron wondered aloud.

Optimus Prime reared his fist back and thrusted forward, only to miss Megatron's face by barely half an inch. "Infighting will solve nothing, no matter how much you deserve it."

"For the first time in 30 stellar-cycles, I actually agree with him." said the returning Hotrod.

Optimus released Megatron to approach Hotrod and said to him, "If it means anything, I'm truly sorry for not being here when you needed me."

"Save it. I'm doing this for Arcee. I'm doing this for all of the friends I've lost, not for you." Hotrod claimed.

Optimus Prime considered Hotrod's comments carefully and this seemed like a rare moment where he actually had no words to speak. He eventually said, "Hotrod, I…"

Hotrod quickly snapped, "I said… save it. Let's just work on getting the city guns back online."

Unable to get any further with Hotrod, Optimus Prime could only reply, "Understood." Then he and the rest of the group set upon their work.

* * *

Authors Note: That puts an end to this chapter. As you can tell, it's much shorter than previous entries and is mainly set in the future timeline.

Hotrod is alive in the future but clearly, 30 years of isolation has made him bitter and angry. I know I made him seem like an angry child but put yourself in his position; how would you feel if you'd been alone for 30 years and all of your friends were dead?

Of course, Megatron has to give the riot act because he's Megatron. So yeah, this moment is somewhat reminiscent of the plane scene from X-Men: Days Of Future Past.

Take that for what you will and please leave a review. Peace out!


	13. Family Matters

Disclaimer: Once again, another long and arduous load of work that continues to interfere with my hobby. But, gotta pay the bills so I won't complain it too much. Either way, here's the next chapter for the story. Enjoy!

* * *

Chapter XIII

 _(Present Timeline)_

In the aftermath of the Autobot/Decepticon skirmish, Silas and Epps arrived to assess the situation. At least Epps was there for that purpose, but Silas was there for another reason. He appeared frantic and even terrified. The damage that he noticed wasn't so widespread but there was enough to warrant concern. Then he saw the body bags and he felt the blood drain from his face. He didn't want to know if Alexis was among the dead. An officer was standing nearby and Silas quickly approached him with Epps barely able to keep up.

The officer noticed Silas approaching and moved to stop him. "Sir, I need you to stay back."

"I'm Col. Silas Bishop, United States Military. I have every right to be here and right now, I need a full casualty report." Silas said.

"I'm sorry sir, but I cannot divulge that information until we've notified next of kin." the officer claimed.

"And what if next of kin is standing right front of you? What if one of these casualties happens to be my daughter? Did that thought cross your mind, son?" Silas snapped at the officer.

"You might want to give Col. Bishop what he wants. He's not usually this pleasant." Epps said.

The officer was clearly hesitant but he knew that refusing a military Colonel would've been a bad career move. Swallowing his pride, the officer handed a clipboard with several sheets of paper to Silas. Silas hastily snatched the clipboard and looked through it with intense fervor and trepidation. He did not want to read his daughter's name on the list. There was a total of 11 names on the list, not many casualties all things considered. Silas searched and searched for Alexis's name but he never found it, so maybe… then the officer spoke at possibly the worst time.

"We confirmed 11 casualties, including 7 officers and 4 civilians. Whomever you're looking may or may not be listed."

"She's not on this list," Silas said before he slapped the clipboard onto the officer's chest. "Next time, do your job better." Then he stormed off with Epps following close behind.

"You know she could be anywhere in town if she's not among to the dead." Epps said.

"The one takeaway from this is that Alexis is alive, but she's nowhere in the town." Silas surmised.

Epps looked around at the war zone before he asked, "But if she's not here then where is she?"

* * *

Alexis couldn't begin to believe that she was standing in Autobot City, and it wasn't by design that she was even there at all. What the blazes happened to lead to her being in the home base of the Autobots? Then it all came back to her like a flood: Sam. This whole ordeal started when Alexis met Sam and Bumblebee. The next minute, Alexis was being chased by a Decepticon who believed she was in some way associated with the Autobots. All Hell broke loose after that. Suddenly, Alexis and Sam were riding inside Bumblebee and trying to escape certain death. Right now, at this very moment, Alexis wanted out.

It wasn't long before she heard the clang of metallic footsteps behind her and she spun around to be greeted by Jazz. "Whoa, slow down there, kiddo."

"Slow down?! That's kind of hard to when you just saw your life flash in front of you." Alexis snapped.

"Been down that road plenty of times. Name's Jazz, by the way."

"Alexis. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm getting the hell out of here."

As Alexis wen t to leave, Jazz asked, "Where you gonna go? The 'Cons did a number on the town."

"Well, I guess it's not the first time the Transformer's war messed up everything. First Seattle and now this. I'm starting to think my Dad's right about your kind." Alexis said.

"We ain't all bad you know." Jazz said.

"Tell that to my mother. She died in Seattle when the Decepticons attacked." Alexis revealed.

Jazz lowered to better converse with Alexis. "I'm sorry 'bout your mom, Alex. We Autobots do all we can to save as many Human lives as we possible. Sometimes, that don't mean everyone."

Alexis sighed in frustration before she changed to subject and asked, "Where's Sam?"

"How could you let her get taken?" Sam shouted at Sideswipe, who was being checked on by Triage.

"Would it kill you to use your indoor voice? I have a patient to consider here." Triage said.

Sam ignored the beleaguered physician and continued her tirade. "Bad enough that you didn't trust us from the start, but you let the Decepticons capture her. Who knows what their doing to her now."

"I wasn't exactly in a position to keep Blitzwing from taking your friend, Sam. I had my own score to settle." Sideswipe said.

Sitting nearby, Hotrod was listening to the exchange and said, "I gave Blitzwing an open invitation to join up with us after we beat Alpha Q. He said he'd think about it before leaving Cybertron."

"I guess old habits die hard." Sideswipe said.

"Who cares about old habits? I want to know what you're going to do to save my friend." Sam said just as Alexis came into the infirmary with Jazz following her.

"I'm sure Optimus is formulating a plan to recover your friend from Megatron. You just need to have patience, Sam."

"Patience? My best friend and I risked everything to travel back in time to change our future and Megatron has her now. Don't talk to me about patience." Sam then stormed off before Triage could say anything more.

Sam passed right by Alexis without a backward glance and suddenly, Alexis's problem seemed trite by comparison to Sam's. Without another thought, Alexis gave chase after Sam. She quickly found Sam already part of the way down the massive hallway. Sam had actually stopped to gather herself, but Alexis could easily tell she was fuming on the inside. Sam caught sight of Alexis and covered her face. Alexis continued to approach until she was within earshot of Sam.

"Sam… did I hear that right? You're from the future?"

Sam was reluctant to reply, but she said, "I didn't want you to find out like that."

"Honestly, I'm more upset that you involved me in this at all. My day was going fine until I met you." Alexis claimed.

"I didn't want to get you involved, okay. I had no idea a Decepticon would try to attack us." Sam replied.

"Right, I'm just guilty by association…" Alexis said.

"My best friend just got captured by the Decepticons. You know what that like?"

"You think you have it bad? My mom died in Seattle so don't act like you haven't suffered enough, okay," Alexis snapped and shut Sam up in the process only to instantly regret the outburst. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap."

Sam sighed and said, "It's okay. He both went through Hell here."

Alexis seemed to calm down for a moment, even playing her hands on her sides. "I feel like I've been going through Hell for months after my mom died. And, the illustrious Col. Bishop did nothing to prevent it from happening because his work came first."

"You know Silas Bishop?"

"Yeah. He's my father. Why?"

Sam wiped her he startled expression from her face and explained, "In my future, there're these machines called Chimeras that wiped out everything and everyone I know, Humans and Transformers alike. You're dad built them."

Alexis was clearly stunned by the revaluation and went into denial. "No. No, no, no, my dad may be a jerk workaholic but he wouldn't… oh God!"

"What?" Sam asked.

Alexis said, "I have to talk to Optimus Prime. Now!"

* * *

Optimus Prime was in the main control area with Cerebros, Spike and Carly as they monitored the latest on the situation. "Have you pinpointed the exact location of _Harbinger_ , Cerebros?"

"I wish I could say so, but Megatron must've installed some kind of stealth system to shield the _Harbinger_ from our long range sensors. It's virtually impossible to track the Decepticons with that kind of tech." Cerebros stated.

"As if being able to fly wasn't enough, now the Decepticon's ship has cloaking tech. They could be sitting right above us and we'd never know it." Spike said.

"We'd have to assume that the only way to deactivate the cloak is on the Harbinger itself, but we can't board what we can't find." Carly said.

"Windblade could shut it down, assuming she can get free of Megatron." Spike said.

"I don't even want to think about what Megatron is doing to her," Cerebros exclaimed. "He may have just killed her by now and is waiting to send her husk back."

"It is possible but unlikely, Cerebros. Megatron is as cruel and vicious as he has ever been since his return, but he is no fool. By now, he must be aware of Wndblade's origins and may be seeking to extract any information she may have about the future." Optimus Prime said just as Sam and Alexis arrived.

"Optimus, please tell me you have a plan to rescue Windblade." Sam said.

Optimus knelt down better commune with Sam. He replied, "Samantha, I wish I could provide you with better news. The _Harbinger_ has disappeared from our radars and could be anywhere."

"You don't think she's…? If Megatron kills her, our mission's a failure and there'll be stopping the Chimeras from rising. You've got to do something. Anything!" Sam worried ranted.

"We will get her back, Samantha. I give you my word," Optimus Prime reiterated before shifting his glance to the other woman. "And, you are…?"

"I'm Alexis Bishop and I know you're looking for my father. Sam told my about this future she's from and how my father's involved."

"Then you are aware of the Chimeras from Samantha and Windblade's future timeline." Optimus Prime said.

"I still don't believe it to be honest. My Dad's a lot of things, but there's no way he'd even be remotely capable of this future shit you're talking about." Alexis claimed.

"Maybe you don't know him as well as you think you do." Spike said.

"I've barely spoken to him since Mom died in Seattle. But that's it, isn't it? That why he's supposedly building these Chimera things." Alexis concluded.

"Nothing is set in stone as of now, Miss Bishop, but it would stand to reason that the death of your mother could be a catalyst to your father's current course. Sadly, he has no idea where this course leads." Optimus Prime said.

Suddenly, the city's proximity alarms blared and Cerebros quickly shut them off while Carly said, "Optimus, looks like we have company and it's not the Decepticons this time."

Optimus Prime checked the view screen as it displayed the main entrance to the city. Two Humans were standing outside with a military vehicle sitting idle. Sam and Alexis then got a look at the visitors. Without wasn't for a request from Optimus, Cerebros zoomed in on the visitors to get a better look at them. One of them returned to the park vehicle while the other remained planted firmly in place like a sentinel. Alexis has to squint at the image before her eyes suddenly widened at the sight of her father standing in place.

"Is that him?" Sam asked.

With a heavy sigh, Alexis replied, "Yeah!"

The image showed Silas approaching the vehicle and reaching into the open window where he pulled out a small device and placing it near his face. _"Optimus Prime, this is Col. Silas Bishop of the United States Military. I'm requesting that you meet outside you city walls immediately. If you grant my request, no harm will come to you or your subordinates."_

As soon as Cerebros cut the live feed, Spike said, "It doesn't sound like he was mincing words, Optimus."

"He probably hasn't any idea his daughter is standing right here in the city. If he were to attack…" Carly said.

Optimus Prime stated, "That will not happen, Carly. I will go and I will address the colonel in person and with any luck, I may be able to persuade him of the future of Windblade spoke."

As Optimus Prime was stepping away, Alexis said, "I'm going with you, Optimus. If nothing else, he'd at least know that I'm okay." Optimus gave Alexis a nod and allowed her to follow him out.

* * *

Silas waited by the open door of the vehicle while Epps remained in the driver's seat. Both were anxious, riddled with trepidation as to what would happen when and if Optimus Prime would arrive. Epps looked through the windshield at the guns atop the city walls. They weren't trained on the visitors but that wasn't to imply that the Autobots weren't aware of their presence. Silas spent the waiting rubbing his index finger across his lips, which was an indication of his concern. The waiting got to him and he rushed to the back of the vehicle where he opened the truck. An assortment of military-grade weapons was in the trunk waiting to be utilized but Silas halted his taking of one once he heard a noise from the city. The city walls shifted open and a pair of lights appeared. Silas closed the trunk door and the side door as he started to walk forward while a massive truck slowly approached from the city. Epps stepped out of the vehicle in awe of the massive red and blue truck as it pulled to a stop directly in front of Silas.

The truck began to shift and change shape right in front of Silas until it took on the familiar form of Optimus Prime. Silas and Epps had to look straight up as Optimus Prime towered over them. He was unarmed, not even brandishing the Star Saber. He simply stood tall and imposing but stoic and unthreatening. Silas only took his eyes off of Optimus Prime to briefly glance at Epps. He could see that Epps had his hand on his side arm, ready to pull it out at a moment's notice. Epps looked back at Silas; Silas shook his head to stop Epps from pulling his gun out and Epps silently complied.

Redirecting his attention to Optimus Prime, Silas finally spoke. "You're taller than I expected, Optimus Prime."

Optimus Prime lowered himself to a knee to better speak to Silas more directly. "You appear to be well informed of me, Col. Bishop. What brings you here to Autobot City?"

Silas took a breath before he said, "I assume you're aware of a Decepticon attack on a nearby Human town. 11 people lost their lives there."

Optimus Prime was clearly hurt by the knowledge of the attack. "What happened in the town never should have happened. I give you my word that the Decepticons will answer for this incident."

"Like they 'answered' for Seattle? 11 deaths in a small town is hardly a footnote to the over 100 deaths in an entire city. Men, women, children… husbands… wives… daughters… I could go on about all of it but the one constant is that their lives were lost because of your civil war."

Optimus Prime wanted to say his kind weren't to blame but he knew it would fall on deaf ears, so he went straight to the point. "There are far bigger events in motion than you realize, Colonel. Your actions going forward could shape the future for the worst… for everyone, both Human and Cybertronian alike."

"That sounds like a threat to me." Silas said.

"Colonel…" Optimus said while taking a step forward, and Silas instinctively pulled out his side arm and took on a defensive stance. This stopped Optimus in his tracks even though he knew Silas couldn't harm him.

"Don't think for a moment that I won't take the shot. I don't care how advanced you are." Silas threatened Optimus.

"I mean you no harm, Colonel."

"Tell that to my wife." Silas said.

"Dad…" a voice called out, and Alexis appeared from behind Optimus Prime. "What're you doing? Put the gun down."

"Alex…" A stunned Silas called out and put his gun away. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I'm stopping you from making a big mistake. You've got to listen to what Optimus Prime is telling you." Alexis said.

"I don't have listen to a damn word that comes from any of these aliens. And as for you…"

"Jesus Christ, Dad! Would you just shut the hell up and listen for once? I know what you're trying to do with these Chimeras you're building. If you do this, they'll kill everyone, including the Human race." Alexis frantically explained.

Silas was completely shocked by Alexis's words, but not in the way she expected. "How do you know about the Chimera Project? What did the Autobots tell you?"

"We've received a vision from a future in which your machines have wiped most if not all life on Earth. If you unleash them and in this timeline, it may very well happen again." Optimus Prime explained.

Silas couldn't begin to believe what he was hearing, but he was more appalled that Alexis, his only daughter, appeared to have suddenly sided with Autobots… with the aliens… the enemy. "Alexis… how could you do this me? Your own father?"

"Dad, it's the truth, so help me God. I know it sounds insane but you have to trust me and the Autobots." Alexis said.

"I don't know what kind of nonsense they put in your head but I'm getting you as far away from these aliens as possible." Silas said as he moved to grab his daughter's hand. Alexis pulled away, angering Silas. "Let's go, Alexis."

"No. Dad, Optimus is serious about this."

"Don't you get it, Alexis? They've practically indoctrinated you into believing them. They're no better than the Decepticons or worse. Now let's go, young lady." Silas then moved to take Alexis by the hand again.

Alexis once again pulled away and snapped, "Dammit, Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore and I'm not indoctrinated or some shit. This is serious and you're too blind by your own ego to see it. Your Chimeras are going to wipe out everyone on Earth."

"My Chimeras are Humanity's salvation and you can't see that, then your as blind as anyone who supports these aliens. No for the last time, LET'S GO."

Then Silas made one last move to grab Alexis and without warning, Alexis leaned a brutal slap directly across his face. Silas was so stunned by the initial hit that he took a step back. He held his palm against the point of impact and his eyes widened in surprise when he looked at Alexis. Her face was a mix of both anger and regret. She knew exactly what she just did, feeling justified in doin so but perturbed that she did it. Silas moved on Alexis but he was stopped by Optimus Prime taking a step between them. This was it. This was what Silas truly feared the most. Without saying another word, Silas backed away and made for his transport.

Alexis moved to say anything she could but the vehicle drove away before she had the chance. She looked up at Optimus Prime for answers. Optimus Prime had nothing to offer her. Left in a haze from everything that happened over the course of the day, Alexis stormed back toward Autobot City in anger directed at both her father and herself.

* * *

Driving along the plains, Epps was somewhat hesitant to inquire what had happened. Taking the risk of possible demotion, he asked, "So what happened, Colonel?"

Instead of addressing the issues with Alexis, Silas said to Epps, "I want security tightened around the Project facility and I want more people working on the prototype around the clock. No exceptions and no excuses."

"Colonel?" Epps asked.

Silas finally admitted, "The aliens turned my own daughter against me. They've just made this personal."

* * *

A middle-aged man busied himself on one of the several planes in the hanger in which he lived and worked. He instantly felt like he wasn't alone in the hanger and he searched around for whomever was there. H found someone skulking around one of the planes, seemingly heedless of the plane's owner.

"Can I help you, son?" The man asked.

The other man looked, wearing a smile that seemed inviting and intimidating. "I'm just studying these planes of yours. This one in particular caught my eye."

"This hanger is private property, son. I'll have to ask you to leave." The man explained, gripping the wrench he'd been using.

"Oh I will be on my way shortly, with this plane as my transportation. I have a very long flight ahead."

Now the man was getting agitated with this intruder's apparent complacency. "This plane isn't for sale. Now I'm going to tell you one last time, son… get off my property."

The intruder saw the wrench in the man's hand and simply smirked. "You'll have to make me."

"You asked for it." The man said before he wildly swung the wrench. Before he knew it, his arm was ripped clean off and it dangled in the intruder's hands.

"A prosthetic limb… didn't see that coming." He said as he casually tossed the arm away.

The suddenly one-armed man fell to the ground in horror as the intruder stalked before pinning him to the ground. "What… what the hell are you?"

The intruder raised his hand and metallic tendrils jutted out. "Around here, I'm called Joshua Joyce. But elsewhere…" Joshua then thrust his tendrils into the doomed man's face. "…I'm something else entirely."

* * *

Author's Note: Well, looks like I got another chapter in the books. This is a little more Human-centric this time with Silas confronting the Autobots directly, and Alexis trying to reason with her Dad.

Meanwhile, Joshua Joyce continues on his secret mission. But what could he mean by 'elsewhere'? Ah ah ah... no spoiling! But if you really want to speculate, hit me up in the private messaging section. Don't forget to review as well. Peace out, yo!


	14. Ashes In The Wind

Disclaimer: Well, I finally have the latest chapter ready to go. I'd say I'm sorry for the long wait, but you probably figured out why at this point so I'll save you the trouble of boring you.

As usual, I own nothing at all. So, enjoy.

* * *

Chapter XIV

 _(Present Timeline)_

Windblade woke up and tried to move ever so slightly, but something was pinning her down. It didn't take long for her realize that she was onboard the _Harbinger_. It took even less for her to determine she was strapped down to an apparent operating table. Windblade heard the clang of metal footsteps on metal flooring. Then Shockwave looked over her like a shadow. He didn't say a word at first, instead moving to the tools on a separate table. Windblade could see the various tools and a feeling of worry washed over her. Shockwave then look directly at Windblade, his single optic making her uneasy. He approached her and studied her closely.

"Shockwave." Windblade said.

"You know of me as it seems." Shockwave replied.

"I know that in my future, you're long dead. You died when the ship crashed after the Chimeras bring it down." Windblade revealed.

"I find your claims of the future to highly illogical, and yet Megatron appears to believe otherwise. So I must divert to his judgment." Shockwave said.

"Where's Megatron? I need to speak to him."

Shockwave said nothing. He instead looked up briefly toward the entrance of his lab before turning away. Windblade looked toward the lab entrance and saw Megatron standing right there. Without saying a single word, Megatron walked into the lab and approached Windblade. Windblade never took her optics off of Megatron as he stalked toward her, and Megatron was just the same. He soon stood over her and studied her frame before addressing Shockwave.

"How is our 'guest', Shockwave?" he asked.

"Physically, she is fully operational. No damage has been done to her in her capture." Shockwave replied.

Megatron smirked before turning his attention to Windblade. "So, you are the supposed visitor from a future yet to pass."

"Pretty much."

"Then you must have insight on this future from which you came. In particular, you must know how I can finally defeat Optimus Prime and his Autobots." Megatron assumed.

Windblade looked stunned at Megatron and said, "What? You don't understand, Megatron; I came back in time to stop M.E.C.H. before they set the Chimeras loose."

"Chimeras? M.E.C.H.? It seems you would rather spread lies to save you wings. Tell me this then; who was it that sent you back in time?" Megatron asked.

Windblade glared at Megatron and said, "You did… you and Optimus Prime. The Chimeras in my time wiped out everyone that stood against them, Cybertronians and Humans alike and if you don't let me go right now, it will happen again."

Megatron places his hands on the table and leaned down over Windblade so they were optic to optic. "Let's say for argument's sake that I believe you, where would this M.E.C.H. be hiding?"

"I don't know. The Autobots were working on finding the location of M.E.C.H.'s hidden base when your Decepticons attacked. If they had more time, they would've had that location." Windblade said.

Megatron narrowed his optics on Windblade with mark suspicion and said, "Maybe there's some truth to your claims, or maybe you're buying time for the Autobots to save you. Rest assured, that won't happen as long as the _Harbinger's_ cloaking systems are engaged."

"Megatron, everything I told you is the truth, so help me, Primus."

Megatron simply smirked and said to Shockwave, "Shockwave, I leave our 'guest' in your capable hands… hand."

"As long as she behaves herself, no harm shall come to her, my liege. I give you my word." Shockwave said.

As Megatron was leaving, Windblade shouted, "You're dooming us all if you ignore my warnings, Megatron."

"Am I?"

"Contact Optimus Prime. That's your only chance to stop the Chimeras from destroying everything."

Megatron glanced back at Windblade for a brief moment before leaving the lab. Stepping out into the hall, Megatron made it appear as if he didn't believe a word from Windblade. But he was smarter than that, for he was carefully considering every word told to him. The mere idea that the Humans could create their range of robots was an appalling notion to consider, and it made Megatron strongly consider contacting Optimus Prime. This was looked at by Megatron as the lesser of two evils, because if anyone was ever going to kill Optimus Prime, it was going to be Megatron and only Megatron… again.

But long before he could make for the bridge, Megatron heard his name bellowed. "Megatron…"

Megatron turned and noticed Tarn storming right for him. "Tarn…"

Tarn got right in the face of Megatron without hesitation. "You lied to us. You didn't tell us our target was a time traveler."

"The specifics of the mission were simply on a need-to-know basis, and you didn't need to know. You only needed to do your job and it would've gone smoother if your idiot Seeker didn't jump the gun." Megatron explained.

"Sun Storm is an idiot, no disputing that. But the DJD prides itself on knowing every detail about the intended target. You kept valuable information from us; by the pit, you didn't even warn us that the Autobots had a group of robot lizards in their ranks. That lack of info is going to cost you more than a single win over Optimus Prime." Tarn claimed.

"You do not get to assume that I knew Optimus Prime would call upon those wretched Dinobots for aid. It had long been believed that they'd been terminated, yet I never took stock in those rumors. I was only shocked by their sudden ability to combine." Megatron claimed.

"Seems like your info is out of date." Tarn spat.

"Be that as it may, the mission was still largely successful and your crew will receive your payment in full. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm needed on the bridge and should you choose to remain, you and your crew will abide by my orders. Is that clear enough for you, Tarn?" Megatron then stormed off without waits for a response.

But Tarn got in his last word anyway. "Maybe for now but the next time you lie to us, it'll cost you more than just a few credits."

Unbeknownst to both Megatron and Tarn, Sun Storm had been listening to their argument. A sly smirk permeated his metal face as he huffed in amusement. Sun Storm then slinks away from the corner as he heard Tarn approach. As soon as Tarn rounded the corner, Sun Storm was already out of sight. But Tarn wasn't a fool. He knew that Sun Storm had been there eavesdropping. Putting the notion aside for now, Tarn continued on to meet with his crew.

* * *

The DJD crew waited for any word from Tarn, passing the time through varying activities. Clench spent his time sharping his sword following his duel with Optimus Prime, relishing the possibilities of a rematch. Silhouette worked on her cloaking tech to see if she could make any improvements. She had no intention to ask Shockwave. Knock Out was busy patching up Off Road amid the stubborn 'Con's insistence to the contrary. Sun Storm was noticeably absent when Tarn returned.

"What's the story, Captain?" Silhouette asked.

"Megatron's forwarding the payment for our services, but he isn't making any apologies for keeping the whole time traveler details under wraps. In the meantime, we'll be sticking around in case Megatron needs us for another mission." Tarn stated.

"At least we're getting paid." Off Road said.

"Yes, and I can certainly use some of your share for this patchwork, Off Road. My medical expertise doesn't come cheap." Knock Out claimed.

"Go jump in a black hole, Knock Out."

"The job would've gone smoother if that glory hog Sun Storm didn't ditch us." Clench said.

"Speaking of which, has anyone seen Sun Storm?" Tarn asked.

"He's probably roaming around the ship causing more trouble than we can afford." Clench replied."

As if on cue, Sun Storm appeared at the entrance leaning on the threshold. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear."

Tarn approached Sun Storm slowly to let the Seeker know he wasn't playing around. "You deviated from the mission, Sun Storm."

"I was merely following up on a potential lead that might tip the odds in our favor." Sun Storm claimed.

Tarn wasn't buying it and he said, "You always were a talented liar. The mission was still a success in spite of your actions, but deviate from another mission again and I'll personally feed your to a school of Sharkticons."

Sun Storm merely huffed in amusement and claimed, "I can't help it if I'm the only one in this entire crew who takes a certain initiative when a situation calls upon it."

"And I won't be able to help it if you go against orders again like you did today. Keep your ambition in check or I swear in Primus's name, I will bury my fist in your Spark." Tarn threatened.

Rather than cower in Tarn's hulking presence, Sun Storm smirked and said, "That's what I've always like about you, Tarn. You're always so serious."

Tarn narrowed his optics on Sun Storm before releasing him. Sun Storm dusted himself off and went about his business like nothing happened, but the DJD were already leery of him after the stunt he pulled. Sun Storm didn't seem to care. He sauntered along the one and only clear path to a corner and reached it. There, he sat down and threw his arms behind his head and crossed his legs. The rest of the DJD eventually returned to their business, while Tarn looked away and wondered when the next mission would happen. But that would've likely been a long wait, and Tarn hated to wait.

* * *

Megatron returned to the bridge. Dreadwing was there with Blitzwing held in place, and Megatron approached them. He glared directly at Blitzwing with contempt, the latter of them sharing the sentiment. In one swift move, Megatron landed a hard punch in the chassis of the Triple Changer. Blitzwing doubles over and dropped to his knee from the hit. His dropping was loud enough to draw the attention of Skullcrusher, Wingspan and Pounce. Megaton then knelt down and grabbed Blitzwing by his head, looking him dead in the optics.

"Consider that your reward for bringing the time traveler to me." Megatron said as he rose up and walked toward the Captain's chair.

Dreadwing lifted Blitzwing up and shoved him aside before he asked, "What happens now, Lord Megatron?"

Megatron glanced briefly at Dreadwing before he shifted his focus to the Twins. "Wingspan and Pounce, scan the Earth's surface for any unusual Human activity."

"Wait, why're we scamming for Human activity? We got the drop on the Autobots right here." Skullcrusher said.

"The Autobots are not the concern this time. If what the time traveler says is true, then a far greater threat looms over the horizon. I won't allow the Humans a chance to follow through with whatever they're planning." Megatron declared.

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

The skies above the ruined Autobot City seemed to darken even more thanks to the ominous clouds as Megatron strolled along the ramparts. The dreary, lifeless surroundings remind him of Cybertron. Cybertron… Megatron had almost forgotten what it was life to set foot on his home planet. He wondered what had become of it, if there was anything left or anyone alive there. What he would've given to return home, though no longer for the sake of conquest anymore than survival.

A smirk formed on his face as he could feel the presence of Hotrod nearby. "Come to start another scuffle, boy?"

"Optimus wouldn't approve." Hotrod claimed, but he was holding a gun in his hand all the same.

Megatron turned ever so slowly to face Hotrod and said, "It didn't seem that way when you confronted him. Hm…"

"What?" Hotrod asked.

"This was the spot, right here, where I fatally shot Optimus Prime dead… with a little help from a certain, overeager Autobot. Or, maybe it was over there…" Megatron said while tauntingly pointing in a random direction."

Hotrod knew exactly where Megatron was going with his taunting. "Don't you dare, Megatron."

"No, it was over there by the terrace. Yes, that's where he bled buckets of oil." Megatron continued to taunt.

Hotrod was getting agitated and demanded, "Stop it!"

Megatron then looked directly at Hotrod and said, "You'd probably know than I. After all, you 'were' the Autobot that killed Optimus Prime."

"Shut up!" Hotrod demanded.

"Why should I? Seems pretty clear that deep down, it's what you wanted. And doesn't every student want their mentor dead?"

Hotrod couldn't take it anymore and charged directly at Megatron without a second thought. Megatron braces for the tackle to come and took it full force. It wasn't enough to get him off his feet, but it didn't stop Hotrod from pushing on him with all his worth. Megatron merely smirked at the attempt from Hotrod and effortlessly shifted his balance. He swiftly moved Hotrod to the opposite side and took him down with relative ease. Hotrod's head and left shoulder crashed to the hard wall and Megatron pinned him down to prevent escape. He even planted a hand on Hotrod's face to hold down harder.

"There's that Autobot fighting spirit. I haven't seen it since I gutted Optimus Prime and made you watch." Megatron taunted again.

"Keep talking. It doesn't change the fact that I still beat you in the end." Hotrod claimed.

Megatron pushed down and replied, "You defeated Galvatron, but **I AM NOT GALVATRON.** You'd do well to remember that…"

"Megatron," Optimus Prime suddenly called out. "Let him go."

Megatron smirked at Optimus Prime, glared at Hotrod and then released him. Without a second thought, Megatron walked toward Optimus Prime where he stopped short of his rival. They exchanged glances before Megatron continued on. Optimus Prime gave Megatron an over the shoulder glance before turning his attention to Hotrod. Hotrod was starting to get up when Optimus Prime approaches and held his hand out to him. Reluctantly, Hotrod accepted the gesture and Optimus pulled him upright.

"Are you alright?" Optimus asked.

Hotrod hesitated to reply before he eventually said, "No, I'm not. Optimus, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lashed out at you like I did."

"You do not need to apologize, Hotrod." Optimus said.

"Yes, I do. The Chimeras… they killed all my friends. I thought I was the only Transformer left in the world and then you returned. I reacted pretty badly as you saw." Hotrod said.

"Perhaps you were right to react as you did. I failed you, Hotrod. I failed all those who relied on me to lead them through the worst of times. But I swear to you, I will not abandon you again." Optimus Prime stated.

For the first time in 30 stellar cycles, Hotrod felt reassured and maybe even hopeful. "Your time traveling friend… Windblade… you think she can change the past?"

"That is the hope." Optimus replied.

Hotrod looked out into the dimness of the dark world beyond the city walls. "They're our there, you know? They're waiting for us to make a mistake so they can take us all out. I don't see how we can win this."

"Then I suppose we'll have to fight to the last of our kind. And, if we fall, at least we can take as many Chimeras down with us as we can." Optimus Prime said.

Hotrod looked at Optimus with a slight smirk and said, "I can get behind that."

Optimus returned the smirk and replied, "That's the Hotrod I remember."

* * *

Far off in the distance, the Chimeras had gathered in vast numbers. Hordes upon hordes lined the ruined landscape, all numbering in the thousands. But they didn't move aside from slight twitches and flinches. They were waiting for the word from the one that was the catalyst to their existence.

Emerging from the shadows, Flamewar waltzed out in front of her hordes. She studied her treacherous creations and noted the mock eagerness they all displayed. They were ready to fight, kill and die for her like a queen commanding her endless troops. Flamewar glanced back at the city in the distance, a look of disgust and anger washing over her face. Then she addressed the Chimeras.

"30 years! For 30 years, we've been at war with the Transformers and we have all by exterminated them one by one. Autobots, Decepticons and even the Human traitors that sided with them face a brutal extinction. We are just one battle away from wiping them of the face of this planet, a planet that they destroyed with their constant fighting. Today my Chimeras, we end their war by ending them. Now move forward, my Chimeras… and kill… them… all."

Without waiting for a response but knowing that she wouldn't have received one anyway, Flamewar transformed into her motorcycle form and raced forward. The Chimeras began to follow their leader, first in small groups at a given time. Then those small groups expanded into larger ones. Soon after, every Chimera pushed forward at an alarming uncommon rate of speed while Flamewar raced onward. The end for the Transformers, as far as Flamewar was concerned, was nigh.

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Work at the secret M.E.C.H. facility had doubled following orders from Silas, and it only intensified when he returned to coordinate the operation. The scientists and soldiers there noticed a change in their leader's demeanor as he upped his work. Silas appeared ultra focused on getting the job done by any means necessary. This was certainly something that Epps noticed when he approached Silas in his private lab with a work pad in hand. Silas has barely taken notice with only enough wherewithal to glance at Epps.

"Production on the Flamewar prototype reached an increase of about 72%. We've estimated that the prototype will be operational within the next 2 days." Epps reported.

"I want that shaved down to 1 day, no excuses. I don't care if we have to work the men for 24 hours straight. I want this prototype operational." Silas said.

Epps was visibly shocked by his commanding officer's straightforwardness and said, "Permission to speak freely, sir."

"What's on your mind, Epps?" Silas said without pulling away from his work.

Epps braced himself as he said, "I think what we're doing here is unethical."

"Name me one moment in Human history that wasn't unethical." Silas said.

"I just think splicing Human and Transformer physiology violates certain principles. I mean, look at what M.E.C.H. did to Josie Beller by turning her into a walking circuit breaker. Can we honestly say what we're doing here is justification for going to war with the Transformers?" Epps said.

Silas stopped working and turned to face Epps. "Listen to me, Robert; those things brought their war to our world 30 years ago. For Christ's sake, count the dead; thousands of Human lives lost. What next? Millions? They have to power to wipe the entire Human race…"

Epps suddenly interrupted with, "Maybe the Decepticons, but the Autobots…"

"…are no better than the Decepticons. If there's even a 1% chance that the Autobots will attack us, then we have to take it as an absolute certainty." Silas said.

"But the Autobots aren't the enemy, Silas." Epps argued.

"Maybe not today, but what about tomorrow? What if tomorrow, the Transformers ban together as one against the Human? All it would take is a snap of a finger and we'd be ashes in the wind. We can't allow that to happen. We have to take the fight to them."

"What then, sir? It'll just result in even more Human lives lost. I'm sorry, but I'm not going to be a part of this craziness." Epps said and started to walk away.

Silas was visibly stunned and said, "That's it? You're just going to walk away? What about your family, Robert? What about your wife and son? You even thought of them?"

Epps stopped and turned around to face Silas. "I **am** thinking about them, and right now, I need to be with them."

Epps continued on, leaving Silas alone in his lab. Silas returned to his work, but his thoughts wandered. Epps was wrong, Silas believed. Or was he wrong? Silas tried to focus on his work, but he couldn't shake the argument out of his mind for more that a fraction of a second. He started to seethe, like a volcano on the verge of erupting. Then he knocked most of the items off on his desk and growled like an enraged animal. The only thing that calmed him was a framed picture of him with Vivian and Alexis, a reminder of happier times.

When he started the project after Seattle, Silas convinced himself that it was all for Vivian and Alexis. But now, months later, he started to wonder if he was only doing any if it for his own personal gratification. His wife died in Seattle. His daughter had seemingly turned on him and joined the Autobots, whom to Silas were the enemy. Or were they? He didn't know anymore. Silas picked up the picture and looked at it longingly, as if begging for it to come to life. He felt his eyes start to well up as he held the picture to his forehead. Trying hard to fight back the tears, and failing badly at it, Silas finally broke down in tears.

* * *

Author's Note: Like I said, this took a while but it's finished. I'll skip the details of what's going on and let you interpret them for yourselves. Leave a review and I'll be back with the next chapter soon. Peace Out!


	15. Where One Stands

Disclaimer: Wow, it's almost the end of the year and haven't started Part II yet. I hope everyone's in it for the long haul.

Like always, I don't own anything.

* * *

Chapter XV

 _(Present Timeline)_

Rattletrap stared down the elongated snout of the Dinobot Quickstrike. In response, the robotic raptor growled at the tiny Autobot. Rattletrap sneered back at Quickstrike without backing down even an inch, and Quickstrike slowly opened his jaws. Rows of metallic teeth greeted Rattletrap but he stood his ground against the erasable raptor. Then he opened his mouth.

"What're you lookin' at, chopper face? Oh, you got rows of teeth in your mouth! That supposed to scare me?"

To the surprise of Rattletrap, Quickstrike transformed to his robot form and stood tall over the diminutive Autobot. "Is there more you want to say, vermin?"

"Wh… WHAT? Who're you callin' vermin, Dino-boob? Just 'cause you can combine with the rest o' them robo-reptiles, you think you can stand over me?" Rattletrap said.

Quickstrike loomed over Rattletrap and coldly replied, "You'd been smart to not cross the line any further, rodent."

"Rodent? That's big talk from a dead lizard." Rattletrap snapped.

"I wonder what you taste, little mouse." Quickstrike snapped back.

"THAT'S IT! I'm makin' you extinct."

"Try it, vermin!"

Just before they could come to blows, Crosshairs stepped in to stop Rattletrap and Snarl and Sludge held back Quickstrike. Rattletrap tried to fight his way out of Crosshairs' grip while Quickstrike appeared to smirk at him. Swoop and Sludge didn't have to push back on their comrade, who voluntarily backed away while chuckling. This only served to anger the hot-tempered Rattletrap even more.

Away from the commotion, Alexis was seated down against the wall trying to figure things out. The scuffle was actually a decent distraction for Alexis, but it didn't last long when she started thinking about her father again. She couldn't stop the argument from playing out in her mind, how her father accused the Autobots of turning his own daughter against him.

Alexis knew that wasn't true but she also knew how stubborn her father could be. She couldn't imagine how he'd react if or when he found out her own big secret. It would've killed him. Alexis noticed movement approaching her, far too small to be one of the Autobots. She finally looked up and saw Carly standing above her, two cups in each hand. She managed a small smile as Carly offered one cup to her.

"I though you use could something to drink." Carly said.

Hesitantly, Alexis accepted the cup that felt warm in her hands. "Is this… hot chocolate?"

"Yeah. We have a scientist friend who worked with Autobots for as long as Spike and I have: Chip Chase. He's helped us on numerous occasions, including with bringing Optimus Prime back to life." Carly said.

"And the Autobots actually approved this?" Alexis said in reference to the cup of liquid.

"It's more like the Autobots learned to better acclimate with Earth customs and make Human relations more manageable. Plus, it was Spike's idea." Carly said as she sat down beside Alexis.

"I'll give the Autobot this: they know how to treat Humans as equals. It just sucks that my Dad doesn't see it that way." Alexis said.

"Sam told me about that your father's visit, and how it didn't go so well. For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Carly said.

"Dad always had a stubborn streak, but the truth is that he's a good man at heart. He's just…" Alexis started to hesitate on finishing her statement.

"Grieving," Carly replied, to which Alexis nodded. Carly continued, "That's normal. When Spike's father died, it took him a long time move on from it. People grieve in their own way and how they grieve determines the path forward."

"Yeah, well, it seems like Dad's path of grief is leading to the end of the world as we know it." Alexis mulled as she stood up and started to walk away.

Carly stood up and said, "That might not necessarily be true. If you truly believe your father is a still a good man, than there's a chance you might still get through to him."

Alexis nodded and even smirked a bit before she replied, "Thanks, Carly. I'm going to see if I can find Sam before the Dinobots tear the whole place down."

"They're not as violently reckless as you might think." Carly assuredly claimed.

"EXTINCTION LEVEL LUNATIC!" Rattletrap shouted.

"GARBAGE SCOW DIVER!" Quickstrike shouted back.

"Yeah, I think I'm going to join you." Carly said, and she quickly walked off with Alexis.

* * *

Ultra Magnus approached Spike and Cerebros and asked them, "Any news on the _Harbinger's_ location?"

"We won't know anything until the ship shows up on our radar. Whatever cloaking tech the Decepticons might be using has got to be super effective." Spike said.

"We did however, pick up a significant energy reading in a remote forest west of the town that the Decepticons attacked." Cerebros added.

"How significant are we talking?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Significant enough to possibly draw Megatron's attention since it's not properly shielded from our sensors." Cerebros said.

"It could be a lead on M.E.C.H.'s location." Spike said.

Optimus Prime and Bumblebee arrived and Optimus asked, "What is the latest, Ultra Magnus?"

"There's nothing yet on the Harbinger, but Spike and Cerebros May have a location on M.E.C.H." Ultra Magnus said.

"A slim lead might be better than no lead at all, Optimus." Bumblebee said.

"Agreed. Bumblebee, I want you and Jazz to investigate the specified coordinations. If this is a possible lead on M.E.C.H., then we need to know what they are planning."

"So it's observe and report only? That, I can do." Bumblebee said.

"You mind if I tag along, Bee? It's been a while." Spike said.

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Bumblebee replied.

Optimus Prime then said, "Very well, but remember: observe and report and nothing more beyond that."

With a crisp salute to Optimus Prime, Bumblebee and Spike headed out of the room. Bumblebee seemingly walked in a wall on the way, but the he looked up. Grimlock towered over him like he always did for the rest of Autobots. The leader of the Dinobots looked down at Bumblebee and Spike and growled silently before letting them pass. Then Grimlock turned his attention to Optimus Prime and slowly approached the leader of the Autobots. Ultra Magnus stood beside Optimus while Cerebros kept his distance.

With another slight growl in his voice, Grimlock said, "Optimus."

"Grimlock." Optimus Prime replied.

In those tense moments, Ultra Magnus And Cerebros expected a fight to break out. But Grimlock clasped his hand onto Optimus Prime's shoulder and laughed, "Good to have you back, Optimus. Nothing felt the same without you bustin' Decepticon ball bearings."

"It is good to see you too, old friend… and to hear you speaking much clearer." Optimus replied, noting the change in Grimlock's speech.

"Yeah, you can thank Wheeljack for that. He made some changes to our brains to make us smarter. Too bad it only works when we're robots and not dinosaurs. Plus, Cybertron is boring. We Dinobots like Earth better." Grimlock said.

"All the same, it's good to have you and your team back." Optimus said.

"It'll be better once we get back to knocking Decepticon heads together." Grimlock exclaimed with a chuckled.

It wasn't long before Slag and Swoop entered the room and Swoop said, "Hey Grimlock, Snarl And Sludge are trying to stop Quickstrike from killing one of the Autobots."

"Which Autobot?"

"Uh, the small one that looks like a robot rat thing." Slag stated.

"Rattletrap." Ultra Magnus sighed and palmed his head in annoyance.

"Heh, guess I better go break it up before Quickstrike breaks the rat in half." Grimlock said as he started to leave the room with Slag and Swoop.

Shaking his head, Optimus Prime mused, "Some things never change, old friend."

Grimlock laughingly replied, "Nope! They just get more fun."

Optimus Prime smirked a bit while Ultra Magnus looked at Cerebros, who appeared uneasy. "Everything okay, Cerebros?"

"I'm just imagining the eventual moment when the Dinobots blow a hole in the city walls." Cerebros said.

"C'mon, Cerebros. The Dinobots aren't _that_ reckless," Ultra Magnus claimed until he looked at Optimus Prime, who offered no reply. An uneasy Magnus added, "But I've been wrong before."

"Grimlock will keep his team in line, Magnus. What is the latest on the Technobots?" Optimus Prime asked.

"Highbrow and Brainstorm confirm that they've finished rebuilding the physical forms of the Technobots, personalities, conversion cogs and all."

"Minus the self destruct system, I assume." Cerebros said.

"It's all just a matter of finding a sizable charge to reactivate them." Ultra Magnus finished.

"I'm certain that Highbrow and Brainstorm are up to the challenge." Optimus Prime said.

* * *

The main city entrance opened and Bumblebee and Jazz drove out onto the open plains. Spike was sitting in the driver's seat and holding the steering wheel, even though it was actually Bumblebee driving. But old habits did have an annoying tendency to die hard. Bumblebee didn't complain as he and Jazz drove off. But high above the two Autobots, Buzzsaw flew overhead monitoring the Autobots as they drove along the plains.

* * *

On the _Harbinger_ , Skullcrusher watched the view screen and then turned to Megatron. "Two of the Autobots are leaving the city, Captain. Should I take them out?"

"Oh yes, Skullcrusher. Open fire on two hapless Autobots while the city watches." Megatron mockingly replied.

Skullcrusher said, "Really?!"

"NO, YOU IDIOT! The ship's cloaking tech is keeping us undetected while we're sitting above the city, but what good will it do us if you give away our position?" Megatron ranted.

Wingspan and Pounce could be heard snickering when Dreadwing confronted them. "Is something funny?"

"No." – Nope!" The twins simultaneously said.

Dreadwing sneered at the twin before turning to see Blitzwing leaving the bridge. "Where are you going, Blitzwing?"

"I just want to get better acclimated with the ship if I'm going to be part of the crew." Blitzwing claimed.

"You don't get to make your own plans, traitor."

"Dreadwing…" Megatron called out. "Blitzwing proved his worth in retrieving the time traveler. I think we can allow a small modicum of leniency."

Dreadwing reluctantly complied and said, "Yes, Lord Megatron."

Blitzwing glanced at both Dreadwing and Megatron for a moment before taking his leave. Dreadwing approached Megatron and stood at the side of his Captain. Then Megatron whispered, "Keep an optic on him, Dreadwing."

With a subtle nod, Dreadwing followed after Blitzwing.

* * *

Blitzwing seemed to wonder around the halls of the ship while repeatedly looking over his shoulder. Certain of being watched closely, Blitzwing had to work to ward off any suspicion. He stopped briefly to look back, saw no one following him and continued around the next corner. Without warning, Blitzwing knocked into Sun Storm and quickly drew his gun. Sun Storm stood back with his hands up and unarmed.

After a tense stand off, Blitzwing said, "What took you so long?"

"Oh please, you have any idea how hard it is to keep up appearances? Tarn thinks I've gone to speak to Megatron."

"Look if we're going to talk more, you can at least drop the disguise." Blitzwing said.

Sun Storm huffed and started to change his appearance in front of Blitzwing. Within moments, it wasn't Sun Storm standing before Blitzwing anymore. It was a tall, light blue Cybertronian who had the Autobot insignia visible on his chassis. Blitzwing wasn't taken aback by the Autobot. It was as if they knew each other, which they did. This Autobot was the bounty hunter Devcon.

"Better?" Devcon asked.

"It's better company at least. Megatron doesn't suspect anything yet, but that's likely to change if we're not careful." Blitzwing said.

"Tell me about it. I've been masquerading as a Decepticon sociopath for Primus knows how long and frankly, I'm getting tired of it." Devcon claimed.

"We just need to keep the charade a little longer, but with the time traveler on board the ship, it might complicate things." Blitzwing said.

"You really think she's what she claims to be?" Devcon said.

"It wouldn't be the first time I've been right about something. I was right about Alpha Q and Galvatron didn't believe me. Rodimus Prime did." Blitzwing said.

"So you told me when I found you hiding on what's left of Paradron. So what's next?" Devcon asked.

"The Autobots want the female back, so we're going to get her off this ship any we can." Blitzwing said.

Devcon nodded before the sound of metal footsteps alerted him. He quickly shifted back to his 'Sun Storm' disguise and Blitzwing tried to appear normal. After a few moments of tenseness, Dreadwing rounded the corner to find Blitzwing and Sun Storm standing in his way. He instantly felt that something was amiss but didn't dwell too much into it before he started asking questions. He started with Blitzwing.

"Where are you heading, Blitzwing?"

Blitzwing quickly said, "The armory. I wanted to modify my guns in case we run into the Autobots again."

Dreadwing glared at Blitzwing for a long moment before stepping aside and saying, "The armory is this way."

Blitzwing almost panicked but kept his composure. He replied, "I knew that." Then he headed in the direction Dreadwing indicated.

Afterward, Dreadwing turned to 'Sun Storm' and said, "Shouldn't you be bothering your mercenary friends?"

"I'm only making the rounds. Is that so wrong of me?" Sun Storm said with a wry grin, and Dreadwing went to follow Blitzwing to the armory.

'Sun Storm' waited until Dreadwing had gone before he wiped the grin from his face. Looking around to be sure that no other Decepticons were around, he switched back to Devcon and started moving back down the hall. The goal was to find Shockwave's lab and rescue the fembot Blitzwing mentioned. The best way would've been to follow the screaming, assuming Shockwave was in the middle of making the fembot scream. Along the way, Devcon started to shift his appearance again.

* * *

Blitzwing followed Dreadwing to the location of the armory. A double door slid open to either side and Dreadwing stepped aside to allow Blitzwing to enter first. Walking into the area, Blitzwing knew instantly that something was wrong. The armory was completely devoid of any weapons of any kind. Then he heard the clicking noise of an already armed weapon behind him. Blitzwing slowly turned to see Dreadwing aiming his gun at him.

"Scrud!"

"I never had much tolerance for mercenaries, but my disdain for traitors outweighs it by a large margin. Now, what are you planning with Sun Storm?" Dreadwing asked.

"As I recall, Megatron told you to keep an optic on me. You kill me now and you'll have to face up to the big boss's bad side, and I know you don't want that." Blitzwing said.

Dreadwing stormed right up to Blitzwing, holding the barrel of his gun in the rogue's face. "I don't plan on killing you… yet. But I also haven't a problem with beating the scrap out of you."

Blitzwing suddenly snapped his head in Dreadwing's face and caused him to drop the gun. Dreadwing was dazed and Blitzwing quickly pressed the instant advantage with an assault of blows. He went upstairs then downstairs and then upstairs again, and Dreadwing was completely and unexpectedly outmatched. Blitzwing pushes forward with his assault, landing various rapid blows on Dreadwing until the latest hit dropped him to his knees.

Once the assault ended, an enraged Dreadwing looked up at Blitzwing. "I knew you couldn't be trusted. Megatron will crush your Spark in his hands for this."

"He can get in line," Blitzwing responded before he knocked Dreadwing out cold. "Devcon, we have to hustle. Move on Shockwave's lab now."

* * *

Shockwave might have had a single optic and no other facial features to convey any emotion, but it seemed like he was enjoying himself. Windblade struggled against the various apparatuses that were being stuck in her frame as Shockwave worked on her. Shockwave spent so much time torturing Windblade that he seemed to miss the movement near the entrance to his lab. But he did stop to look up and saw 'Dreadwing' standing at the entrance. Something seemed… different about him, but Shockwave maintained his indifference and returned to his work.

"Is there something you require of me, 'Dreadwing'?" Shockwave asked.

"Megatron wants to see you on the bridge for an urgent matter." 'Dreadwing' stated.

Shockwave was suspicious even as his single optic showed no such expression. "Why does Lord Megatron not come to see me himself?"

"He's preoccupied with keeping the bridge crew in line. As such, he set me to retrieve you for his urgent matter." Dreadwing said.

Shockwave grew more suspicious of 'Dreadwing' but went along with it. He set aside the device he was using on Windblade and left the lab with looking back at 'Dreadwing'. When Shockwave had turned the corner and disappeared, 'Dreadwing' hastily approached Windblade. His appearance shifted to reveal it was actually Devcon and he started undoing the restraints. Windblade looked at the mysterious rescuer, relieved to see the Autobot insignia on his chassis.

"Who are you?" she asked weakly.

"I'm a friend and I'm here to get you out of here." Devcon said as he undid the last restraint and pulled Windblade from the table.

"It is illogical to imagine you can escape from this vessel so easily." The returning Shockwave announced.

Devcon muttered, "This is awkward."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

When Optimus Prime reached Brainstorm in the main area, he'd assumed that the theorist had more bad news. But then Optimus saw the screen and the display upon it. It was virtually identical to the guns on the city's ramparts. Optimus also took note of the gauges on the lower left corner of the screen and that gave him a cause for concern. It was time to address Brainstorm directly.

"What news do you have for me, Brainstorm?" Optimus asked.

"Well I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that the guns are now operational and ready." Brainstorm said.

"What is the bad news?" Optimus asked.

"The bad news is the guns have half the usual energy level. Continuous fire will leave a them drained after a few shots." Brainstorm explained.

"So, we have to make every shot count."

"Yeah, and we have no idea how many Chimeras Flamewar has following her. Once the guns are depleted, we're dead in the water." Brainstorm said.

Optimus Prime considered the words of Brainstorm for a time before he boldly declared, "Windblade will accomplish her mission in the past. I am certain of this. We just need to hold out until then."

"But what if she fails? Or what if we're already wiped out?" Brainstorm said.

"We need to have faith in her, Brainstorm. We need to have faith that Windblade will succeed and this future will never come to pass." Optimus Prime reassured, and Brainstorm seemed convinced.

Then Bumblebee rushed into the room and said, "Optimus, you need to come up to the ramparts."

* * *

Hotrod and Arcee waited atop the ramparts when Optimus Prime and Bumblebee returned. "What's wrong, Hotrod?" Optimus Prime asked.

"We just picked up a massive army of Chimeras coming our way." Hotrod said.

Optimus Prime didn't hesitate to deploy a scanning visor. The visor zoomed in on the far off plains and settled on the singular visage of Flamewar in her alternate form. She was followed by an army of Chimeras, too many to even think about counting but enough to make Trypticon flinch. This was it… Optimus Prime knew it. It wasn't too long before Megatron arrived and stood beside Optimus Prime.

"They must number in the thousands." Megatron assumed.

"This could very well be the end of our race, Megatron… perhaps, our last stand." Optimus admitted.

Megatron seemed to chuckle at the notion and said, "Well, can you think of a more noble end?"

Optimus looked at Megatron, the wry smirk permeating the former Decepticon leader's face. He expected nothing less from his rival beyond the thrill of the fight. Optimus presses his fingers to his head and spoke, "Brainstorm, prepare the city's defenses."

* * *

Author's Note: Looks like I finally got this chapter done after another long stretch of time and I have a few points to talk about. First, the Dinobots can now speak in complete sentences that to Wheeljack but only in robot form, which I think might be a nod to the Shattered Glass version of Grimlock. Even Quickstrike and Rattletrap have a war of words which is a callback to Dinobot and Rattrap from _Transformers: Beast Wars_. Alexis still has a secret about her that, I admittedly think might anger some people but I'm going to take a chance.

Anyway and speaking of secret, Sun Storm is revealed to be the long forgotten Autobot Devcon (ya'll remember him from the original series) and he working with Blitzwing to rescue Windblade. And, the Transformers in the future prepare to make their last stand against the Chimeras. That's all I've got for this chapter so stay tuned for the next chapter and don't forget to review. Peace out!


	16. Inside Out

Disclaimer: Thanks for waiting for me to finally get this dog gone chapter done amid all the craziness of everyday life. What'd you expect, though? It's life. 2018 sucked... for me anyway.

Anyway, here's the latest chapter and I hope you're ready for a shocking twist... as if Devcon disguised as Sun Storm wasn't enough. But this next one is a doozy. Oh, and I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter XVI

 _(Present Timeline)_

Devcon kept Windblade behind him while Shockwave stalked toward them. "So, you are the Autobot bounty hunter called Devcon." Shockwave said.

"Yeah, and you're Megatron's pet mad scientist. I heard you died on Cybertron when that monster planet attacked." Devcon said.

"The reports of my demise were greatly exaggerated. I will allow you to leave, Devcon, but Windblade will remain on this ship as per orders from Lord Megatron." Shockwave declared.

"It's tempting, you letting me go free. But the kid is coming with me. End of story." Devcon said.

"I would say that your escape attempt is highly illogical." Shockwave claimed before he was hit with a blast from Windblade.

"Yeah, but we're leaving anyway." Windblade claimed before she blasted Shockwave and knocked him down.

Devcon looked at Windblade and quipped, "Wow. One shot and I'm already starting to like you."

Shockwave was face down on the floor but was starting to get up. Devcon rushed forward and drove his knee in the Shockwave's single optics to knock him down again. Without waiting, Devcon and Windblade made a break for it. They barely made it to the next corner when they almost ran right into Blitzwing. Windblade instinctively prepared to blast Blitzwing. Devcon steppes in between them before any shots were fired.

"Hold your fire, kid. Blitzwing is with me." Devcon claimed.

"With you? But he abducted me for Megatron." Windblade said.

"It's nothing personal, kid. I just had to prove my loyalty to Megatron and right now, we have to get off this ship as soon as possible." Blitzwing said.

"You're not leaving this ship, traitor." shouted a recovered Dreadwing.

The trio spun around only to find Shockwave also blocking their escape. Blitzwing didn't hesitate when he transformed into his tank form and fired a volley at Dreadwing. Dreadwing managed to avoid the shot and fired back at the trio, but Devcon brought up an energy shield to block it. Windblade quickly fired a blast of her own that struck Dreadwing and sent him into the wall. Blitzwing transformed back to his robot firm and prepared to lead the way, but a sudden blast from behind startled the trio.

Shockwave was behind them at the threshold of his lab and fired a shot from his arm cannon. The shot barely missed Devcon and Windblade and hit the wall. Blitzwing returned fire and struck Shockwave in the shoulder, and Shockwave just shrugged it off and fired back. Shockwave fired back and he managed to land a shot on Devcon's shoulder. Windblade quickly retaliated but Shockwave avoided the blast before firing back. Windblade and Devcon dodged the shot and Blitzwing fired back.

But Dreadwing recovered and bashed Blitzwing in the back of his head. Devcon charged forward and tackled him to the floor while Windblade blasted Shockwave a second time. Shockwave ducked behind the wall of his lab and the blast struck a console, causing it to short out. A small explosion occurred and sent Shockwave tumbling to the floor. It also sounded the alarm across the ship.

Devcon grabbed Windblade by the arm and shouted, "We've got to get off this ship, now."

Blitzwing stood up and kicked Dreadwing in the face before he said, "I know the way to hanger bay from here. Let's go."

* * *

"Megatron, the alarm is sounding." Skullcrusher said.

"Thank you for pointing out the obvious, you fool. Bring up the visual." Megatron demanded.

Skullcrusher brought up the video screen and Blitzwing was shown with Windblade and a blue Transformer. "Is that Blitzwing?" Pounce asked.

"Who's the other bot with them?" Wingspan asked.

 _Devcon._ Megatron thought before he slammed his fist onto the arm of his chair. "Tarn, Blitzwing is escaping with the prisoner. Intercept them before the leave the ship."

" _We're on our way!"_ Tarn replied.

Megatron wasn't going to wait for results and stormed for the bridge entrance. "They'll be heading for the hanger bay. Meet me there."

* * *

Blitzwing lead Devcon and Windblade to the hanger bay in short order. The DJD hadn't confronted them but that was likely to change sooner or later. The _Peaceful_ _Tyranny_ was docked in the bay and had been since the DJD arrived on the _Harbinger_ , and seeing it gave Blitzwing a moment of pause. He refocused on the task at hand and opened the doors. Windblade looked straight down and could plainly see the Earth below… and Autobot City. It was plain to see that the _Harbinger_ had been orbiting high above the city the entire time, likely to hit the Autobots with a surprise attack should arise.

"I probably shouldn't ask, but in the future, do I make it?" Blitzwing asked.

Windblade looked at Blitzwing befuddled and replied, "Not really, no. You kind of die on this ship, actually."

"Oh. Well if that's the case, I might as well die doing something right for a change." Blitzwing said.

"Blitzwing, you're future isn't set yet. You can still change it from this point on." Windblade claimed.

"I already did when told Rodimus Prime that I'd think about joining the Autobots. Now, get out of here, both of you." Blitzwing said.

Devcon clasped his hand on the now former Decepticon's shoulder and said, "We'll be back for you."

A seemingly errant laser blast rocked the trio to the floor. They looked up to see the DJD standing at the hanger bay entrance and Tarn stated, "None of you are going anywhere."

Blitzwing didn't hesitate and quickly transformed into his tank mode. He fired a shot than missed the DJD completely, but the same shot landed on the structure above them. Off Road and Clench were buried under the debris while Tarn, Silhouette and Knock Out moved away from the wreckage. Silhouette recovered and took a shot at Devcon but missed him by an inch, and Devcon fired back. His shot missed Silhouette and hit the wall behind her, giving Tarn a chance to fire on Devcon. The shot very nearly struck Devcon before he ducked down and Windblade unloaded a blast of her wing turbines that struck Tarn. Tarn went crashing into wall right next to Knock Out, who was cowering behind some hanger equipment.

The brief break in the firefight was long enough for Windblade and Devcon to make their escape, and they jumped out of the hanger bay just as Clench dug his way free. As soon as Windblade and Devcon were free, Windblade saw that Devcon was in free fall and smoking. She instantly jetted after him and was able to catch up. Catching him, Windblade notes that Devcon was still functional as they fell toward the Earth.

"Can you transform?" Windblade shouted.

"I think so. Let's get out of here." Devcon replied and, with some difficulty, he transformed into his spacecraft form and flew down. Windblade transformed to her jet mode and followed Devcon down.

* * *

Tarn and his crew had Blitzwing cornered and ducking behind some equipment. Tarn looked to Silhouette and Off Road and said, "We have to draw him out. Off Road, toss a flash bang to blind him. Silhouette, use your cloaking tech to get close and flank him."

"Got it." – Copy that."

Silhouette activated her cloaking tech and started making her way along the far left end of the hanger bay. Off Road prepared a small cylinder-like device in his hand and waited for an opening. Blitzwing was still firing at the DJD from his position. Tarn, Clench and Knock Out fired back and forced Blitzwing to duck beneath his cover. This gave Off Road a chance to toss the flash bang grenade and he chucked it far. The grenade flew over Blitzwing without him even noticing until he heard the faint clang on the floor. Having less than a spilt second to shield his optics, Blitzwing was nonetheless blinded to the flash burst.

Blitzwing struggled to see clearly while staying down to avoid being shot by the DJD. He had no idea that the cloaked Silhouette was almost right on top of him. By the time he realized it, Silhouette revealed herself and struck hard. Blitzwing was hot with a few stiff blows before Silhouette tossed him from his cover onto his he floor nearby. He tried to get a shot in but Silhouette dodged the shot and returned fire. The shot caught Blitzwing in the leg joint to keep him from running, and the Off Road closed in and punted Blitzwing in the head. Off Road went for another kick but Blitzwing blocked it and pushed Off Road away. Then Clench rushed formed and slammed his fist right into Blitzwing's face to put him down. Off Road recovered and rejoined the beat down while Silhouette and Knock Out watched, the latter of them cringing at every blow the was landed. Eventually, Tarn approached and Off Road and Clench stepped back. He stepped over a Blitzwing and crouched down to make better optical contact.

"Where's Sun Storm?" Tarn asked.

Blitzwing spit out lubricant from his mouth and coldly replied, "Go scrap yourself."

Tarn reaches down and grabbed Blitzwing by the neck. "Where is Sun Storm? I won't asked a third time."

"Release him!"

Tarn looked up and saw Megatron at the entrance, flanked on each side by Shockwave and Dreadwing. He let go of Blitzwing and stepped back and the rest of his crew followed suit. Megatron slowly approached Blitzwing as the beaten Decepticon tried to rise up. He only made it to his knees once Megatron was looming over him. Shockwave and Dreadwing dispersed and kept the DJD members back. Megatron circled around Blitzwing with slow gait, as if he was making consider was might have been about to happen. Blitzwing wasn't about to let his guard down, but that didn't matter once Megatron backhanded him in the face.

Blitzwing went down in a heap, using both his hands to steady himself. Megatron was only just starting, driving his boot into Blitzwing's face. Then Megatron lifted Blitzwing off the floor and through him straight into the wall. The loudest crash ever heard sounded throughout the hanger bay as Blitzwing landed with a thud back on the floor. Megatron closed in a repeatedly pummeled him for what seemed like an eternity until he finally halted his assault and by then, Blitzwing was a beaten mess of metal but still functional.

"You disappoint me, Blitzwing. The Decepticons warmly welcomed you back into the fold after you singlehandedly captured the time traveler, and this is how you repay the debt?" Megatron said as he birdied his heel into Blitzwing's neck.

Blitzwing pushed back on Megatron's heel but couldn't budge it. "Go rot in the Pit, Megatron!" he defiantly said.

Megatron responded with a heel kick to render Blitzwing unconscious when Shockwave approached him. "Shall I prepare my laboratory for Blitzwing's… rehabilitation?"

"A traitor like Blitzwing doesn't deserve to be rehabilitated. Dreadwing, throw him the brig where he belongs." Megatron said.

"As you wish, Lord Megatron." Dreadwing said before he dragged Blitzwing away.

Afterward, Tarn confronted Megatron. "What about Sun Storm?"

"Sun Storm never existed. It was an Autobot bounty hunter called Devcon hiding under your watch the entire time." Shockwave monotonously declared.

"I knew there was something suspicious about him." Off Road claimed.

"If we had an Autobot in our midst all this time, then our operation's been compromised." Tarn realized.

"None of that will matter once we've located the Human's Chimera facility. Until then, we wait for Buzzsaw to give us something worthwhile." Megatron said and walked away.

Shockwave followed Megatron out of the hanger bay, leaving the DJD to wonder what was happen next. Knock Out quipped, "That went well, all things considered."

"The boss is right, though. Our operation may be compromised if we had an Autobot in our crew the whole time." Clench replied.

"The job hasn't changed. Until Megatron needs us, we work to figure out how an Autobot snuck into the crew. If there's another traitor in my crew, I'm going to personally frag him myself." Tarn said.

* * *

Brainstorm and Highbrow appeared ready for the operation to bring the Technobots back online. The five robots were fully reassembled and laid out across the length of the room. Brainstorm was at the nearby console while Highbrow stood watch over the Technobots. It was during this time that Alexis seemed to wander into the room. She caught slight movement out of the corner of her eyes and saw Crosshairs seated against the wall. He barely gave her a passing glance as she approached Highbrow.

"Something we could help you with, Miss Bishop?" Highbrow asked.

"Not really, I was just passing through." Alexis said.

"Well now that you passed through, maybe you can pass on out of here and let get some work done." Crosshairs said.

"You're not doing any work at all, Crosshairs." Brainstorm said.

Crosshairs mockingly remarked, "I'm supervising."

Brainstorm sighed in annoyance before Alexis said, "So, these guys are the Technobots, huh?"

"That's right. We're within microseconds of finally bringing them back online, minus the explosive side effects that destroyed them the first time." Highbrow said proudly.

"We should've broke them down and used them spare parts." Crosshairs claimed.

"That's why you're no scientist, you uncouth bullet head." Highbrow snapped.

Brainstorm ignored the banter and focused on the job at hand. "Okay, power levels are at nominal output. All systems go."

Brainstorm started turning knobs and flipping switches along the console, periodically checking the screen where the power levels were displayed. Highbrow had a holographic image flickering out his wrist and he also kept Alexis clear from the operation. That didn't stop Alexis from sneaking a look at whatever was going to happen. She saw Crosshairs tense up ever so slightly, as if waiting for something bad to go down.

Everything appeared to go smoothly so far, according to Brainstorm's field of vision anyway. The power levels were climbing slowly and steadily and without cause for concern thus far. The display showed the images off all five Technobots along with gauges showing the power level as they climbed. Alexis saw movement out of the corner of her eyes and, unless she was going crazy, it appeared like one of the hands on one of the Technobots twitched. It really was both fascinating and terrifying all at the same time. Then it all began slowly going to Hell.

Brainstorm saw the power levels rising well beyond the reasonable limits and then the alarm started blaring. "It's okay. This is normal." He claimed, but his voice tone suggested otherwise.

"Yeah, that doesn't sound normal." Crosshairs replied over the alarm.

"Highbrow, what's happening?" Alexis asked.

Highbrow approached Brainstorm and looked at the display. "The power levels are spiking, Brainstorm. We need to abort the process."

"No. The levels will stabilize. I just need to more time to recalibrate." Brainstorm insisted.

"Shut it down, Brainstorm. You'll destroy the whole city and us with it." Highbrow demanded.

"Turn the machine off, Brainstorm." Crosshairs shouted.

The insistence of his two allies wasn't enough to stop the first of many potentially dangerous jolts of electricity from spewing forth. The jolts nearest to Highbrow and Brainstorm caused to the duck down. Crosshairs had to shield his face from the jolts and bright lights that flashed out. Alexis moves to find some kind of cover from the jolts. Before she had even the slightest sense of her surroundings, a electrical cable dislodged from its place and swung right at her. She barely had a half second to drop down to her back and even then, the cable only grazed her right arm. Then she rolled to a fetal position and covered up.

On instinct alone, Crosshairs jumped onto Alexis to shield her from the chaos. Brainstorm still didn't try to shut down the machine, so Highbrow was left without any choice. He rushed to the nearby emergency stop button and slammed his fist into it. Everything skidded to an instant half and the three Autobots plus the single Human gathered themselves. Crosshairs rose up and Alexis emerged. She looked briefly at her arm and hastily covered it up. Brainstorm looked up at the display and saw the power levels returning to zero.

He slammed his fist down onto the console and shouted, "DAMN IT! Damn it, we were so close."

Crosshairs immediately jumped up and got up close and very personal with Brainstorm. "Are you insane? You could've blown up the whole city, you maniac."

"Yeah, and what help were you, lazy aft?" Brainstorm snapped back.

Highbrow quickly came in between the two before they came to blows when Ultra Magnus arrived. "What in the Pit is going on here?"

"Ask Brainstorm. He's the one who almost brought the whole city down around our audio receptors." Crosshairs claimed.

Once he was able to gather himself enough, Brainstorm replied, "We were so close, Ultra Magnus. If we had a little more time, we could've brought the Technobots back."

Ultra Magnus sighed as he examined to the room and said to Brainstorm, "Brainstorm, I understand how badly you want the Technobots back. So does Optimus, but nearly destroying the whole won't help."

"But we're close. I can feel it in my servos." Brainstorm said.

Ultra Magnus was about to speak when Cerebros suddenly called him. _"Magnus, we have incoming. Optimus Prime needs you at the main entrance."_

"On my way, Cerebros," Ultra Magnus said before he returned to Brainstorm and company. "Okay, we're all on edge. Everyone take a break for now."

Crosshairs didn't hesitate to storm out of the lab. Brainstorm wanted to argue but that would've fallen on disabled audio receptors. He left the lab with Highbrow following close behind. Ultra Magnus remained behind for a time to study the inert framed of the five Technobots. He caught slight movement in the corner and saw Alexis apparently dusting herself off from the ordeal.

"You okay, Miss Bishop?" Magnus asked.

"Yeah. Nothing like nearly having your life ended twice in the span of two days." Alexis jokingly claimed.

"I've been there, trust me. But you get used to after a while." Ultra Magnus replied.

"I'll take your word for it. Thanks, Magnus." Alexis said as she quickly left the room.

* * *

The Autobots quickly rolled out of the main entrance to the city and transformed in unison with Optimus Prime taking the lead. The group was made up of Hotrod, Arcee, Sideswipe, Elita One, Wheeljack and Grimlock. It wasn't that long after that Ultra Magnus and Crosshairs joined them outside, and Samantha was with them in turn. The arrivals turned out to be Windblade and Devcon, the stumbling as he transformed back his robot form. Windblade quickly caught Devcon to steady him as the Autobots approached them.

"Windblade, are you alright?" Optimus asked.

"I'm fine, but I can't say the same for Devcon." Windblade said as she kept Devcon upright.

"I've been worse." Devcon claimed.

"Wheeljack and Hotrod, you two get Devcon to the infirmary for repairs."

Wheeljack and Hotrod took Devcon in their arms while Sam ran passed them toward Windblade. "You have no idea how worried I was about you, Windy."

Windblade knelt down and said, "I can guess, but it'll take more than a few Decepticons to stop me, little sister."

"Windblade…" Optimus Prime said, and Windblade stood in attention.

"Optimus, Megatron is searching for the M.E.C.H. facility housing the Chimera prototype. He may try to wipe out the Humans and take the Chimera for himself."

"You are certain of this?" Optimus Prime asked.

"It wouldn't surprise me at this point."

"Jazz and Bumblebee are following a possible lead on the location on the M.E.C.H. facility. We will mobilize once they've contacted us with confirmation." Optimus Prime said.

"I hope they're quick about it." Windblade said.

"Let's see about getting you patched up." Optimus Prime said.

Windblade followed Optimus back into the city, and she noticed the way Sideswipe looked at her. There wasn't any of the usual anger from the first time they meant. Sideswipe appeared concerned, even a little worried about her. Then in a surprising gesture, Sideswipe cracked a small smile and gave a nod, which Windblade nervously returned. Sam noticed it too and tapped Windblade on the leg. Windblade looked down at Sam and saw a sly smirk on her face.

"What?" Windblade asked.

"Sideswipe was pretty worried about you." Sam claimed.

"Wait, Sideswipe was worried? About me?"

* * *

Alexis was watching the whole proceedings of Windblade's return. It was also nice to see that Sam was relieved to have her friend back. Then she felt the sharp sting on her right arm that was the result of that cable whipping into her. Alexis backed away into a secluded area where no one would bother her. She already knew what the issue. She known it for a some time but she never came forward with it to anyone, least of all her father. And yet, Alexis had the uncomfortable suspicion that Silas already knew her secret.

She peered around the corner of her hiding place to make sure none of the Autobots or even Sam was around. Then she grasped the cuff of her shirt sleeve. She took a deep breath and slowly pulled up on the sleeve. The skin and flesh was a mangled mess, but it wasn't the gory visage that unsettled her. It was the mess of cybernetic material and tiny electrical sparks shooting around. Ultimately, this was all the starkest reminder of something that Alexis learned months ago, and perhaps her own father had known all along… Alexis Bishop wasn't Human.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, that puts this chapter in the books. See what I did there? So, Windblade and Devon manage to get away while Blitzwing stayed behind while Highbrow and Brainstorm come within inches of bringing the Technobots back (and almost blow up the city. Thanks guys!)

Oh, and remember that little secret about Alexis? Turns out she's... apparently not Human and she already knows it. But, does Silas know and if so, then why didn't tell her? So many questions abound. The only way to find out is to stay tuned for more. Don't forget to leave a review. Peace Out!


	17. Skin Deep Wound

Disclaimer: Firstly, I don't own the rights to Transformers. Taking on a more serious note, you may know me as KiloWhiskeyOscar, the goofy, wisecracking writer who made his name with Transformers and Spider-Man and such. But I'm just as human as the rest of you and I go through some real life personal things. Just recently, I had to go through a personal tragedy.

The truth is... my real name is Ken and my father passed away recently. He was 67 years old. I recognize that this is hardly the place to be talking about my personal life but it kind of is my way of finding some small measure of peace. I take solace in the belief that Dad's in a better place now, that he's with God and he's holding hands with my Mom, finally reunited. Again, I shouldn't be bringing this up but I kind of feel like it eases the pain. So that said, Dad, I love you and I miss you. Rest In Peace.

* * *

Chapter XVII

 _(Present Timeline)_

Spike almost felt like James Bond in the bushes outside the M.E.C.H facility with the advanced binoculars in his hands. Through the binoculars, he could make out four guards. They were separated into teams of two and each team guarded one side of the large doors. Spike also counted a fifth guard on a slow patrol around the base and a lone security camera covering the area. Then Spike quickly ducked when one of the guards looked in his direction and then quickly looked away.

Spike breathed a small sigh of relief before picking himself up from the ground. He started to back away and turned quickly, and he smacked into a seemingly invisible wall. He fell back and panicked when he realized that he was making too much noise. Already hearing the rustling of bushes approaching from the direction of the base, Spike hid behind a bush just as one of the guards arrived, and he panicked when he noticed the binoculars on the ground.

The guard looked around the area before for a short time before his vision centered on the location of the binoculars, but he didn't see them at all. Spike knew exactly why; the binoculars seemed to vanish from sight under what appeared to be an invisible hand. The guard continued to search for anything out of the ordinary when he heard a ping in his helmet.

" _Unit 319, why are you not at your post?"_

"This is Unit 319, I'm investigating a possible disturbance in the bushes at the southern parameter. Please standby, over."

" _Roger, standing by…"_

Spike remained as silent as he could as the guard continued to survey the area. The guard inched further into the area, using his eyes and ears to see and hear everything around him. He tensed up at the sudden rustling in the bushes and moved forward on the location. His gun cocked and locked and ready to unload the inevitable hailstorm of bullets, the guard started closing the distance. He was startled when a pair of rabbits hopped out of their hiding place. A trio of much smaller rabbits followed their parents out of the bushes. The guard was inwardly grateful that none of his fellow soldiers were present to see his embarrassment at being spook by a family of rabbits.

"Control, this is Unit 319. False alarm on the southern parameter. All clear."

" _Copy that, Unit 319. Return to your post. Control out."_

"Roger that, returning to post. Unit 319 out." With that, the guard left the area.

Spike waited until the guard was gone before he emerged from hiding. Then there was bizarre movement around him and Bumblebee literally appeared out of nowhere. He appeared different from his usual yellow color scheme, instead sporting a more camouflaged appearance. Then Jazz appeared sporting the same camouflage scheme as Bumblebee and Spike breathed easy.

"Remind me to thank Wheeljack for this kickin' camo function." Jazz said.

"Yeah, this tech would've made Mirage proud. Or jealous. Or both." Bumblebee added.

"Probably both. Okay from what I noticed, there're at least five guards including one patrolling around the vicinity every 10 minutes or so. Whatever M.E.C.H. is hiding must be pretty frightening." Spike said.

"Based on what Windblade and Samantha claimed, these Chimeras have to be more dangerous than we thought." Bumblebee said.

"I'm inclined to believe them, and now we've got a location on the facility. We should contact Optimus back in the city." Spike said.

"Already broadcastin'!" Jazz replied.

Unbeknownst to the Autobots and Spike, Buzzsaw was lurking in the trees above them. The spy bird had been there for some time, silent and still as the dead of night. He also had been observing the facility, studying the patrol patterns of the Human soldiers. But Megatron would've wanted a better look, so Buzzsaw quietly launched from his perch and soared over the Autobots without them noticing.

Flying silently overhead, Buzzsaw landed on the roof of the facility near a skylight and peered into the inside. He deployed a scope from his head and started recording the activity within the building. Humans were moving back and forth and they all wore military uniforms. Then Buzzsaw caught a look at the real target; the Flamewar prototype. He also caught sight of Silas Bishop, hard at work at bringing his creation to life. Buzzsaw continued to record his finding, and he was also transmitting them back to the _Harbinger_.

* * *

On the bridge of the _Harbinger,_ Megatron Dreadwing and Shockwave saw the prototype in full view and Dreadwing said, "That's what all the fuss is about?"

"The Humans are nothing if not resourceful. They've managed to almost reverse-engineer our technology to build their own Transformer." Shockwave said.

"You sound as if you admire them, which is a rare feat from one who lacks emotion." Dreadwing stated.

"I admire the Human's ingenuity, but I do not expect one of minuscule logic such as you to comprehend this, Dreadwing." Shockwave replied with the same calm tone

"The Humans have the audacity to construct this abomination, cannibalize our technology and you express respect and admiration toward them. But I say they insult us by allowing this… thing to exist." Dreadwing claimed in anger as Megatron was approaching the Twins.

"I'm in agreement with Shockwave about the Human's resourcefulness but make no mistake, Dreadwing. I do not intend to give the Human insects a chance to use our own technology against us." Megatron said as he approached he Twins.

Before Megatron said anything, Wingspan said, "We've received the coordinates from Buzzsaw, Megatron."

"Scrapper and Onslaught have been notified and are awaiting you word." Pounce added.

"Inform them to maintain a minimum safe distance and that they are not to engage the Humans until we have arrived." Megatron ordered.

"What exactly is the plan, Megatron?" Dreadwing asked.

"The Humans do not realize it as of yet, but they've just provided the Decepticons with a new weapon to use against the Autobots… and ironically, against them as well." Megatron claimed.

While Shockwave remained silent, Dreadwing was more surprised and said, "I thought the time traveler claimed that this thing would be a catalyst to a future blight."

"Her name is Windblade, Dreadwing, and she spoke of a future that may only come to pass if the Humans activated their prototype." Shockwave explained.

"However, if the Decepticons were to claim this prototype, we could use it against both the Humans and the Autobots and wipe them both out, finally leaving Earth ripe for the picking." Megatron stated.

All Dreadwing could say was, "I… see."

Megatron looked at his First Lieutenant and said, "You seem unsettled by this, Dreadwing. What concerns have you about this mission?"

"I have no concerns." Dreadwing claimed.

"Yet you sound as if you're questioning my commands, just as Blitzwing did." Megatron said, now looming over Dreadwing.

"I am nothing like that traitor, I can assure you of that, Megatron." Dreadwing proclaimed with conviction in his voice.

"That's more like it. Now carry out my orders and prepare the DJD for battle. It will only be a matter of time before the Autobots get wind of this." Megatron said.

* * *

"Hold still, Devcon. You don't want a surgical needle jabbing into your voice box, don't you?" Triage said to Devcon.

"I've taken worse hits to my body over the stellar cycles, Doc. A little needle wouldn't register on my pain threshold." Devcon claimed.

"Be that as it may, you still took a good hit that warrants observation." Triage stated.

On the other side of the infirmary, Windblade was being observed by Wheeljack and Sideswipe. Daniel and Verity were present as well while Sam was standing in a far corner. She was trying to stay out of sight from Daniel and Verity, which proved futile when Daniel noticed her standing by herself. He started to approach her, and Sam looked away from him. She was fighting off the nerves as they built up inside of her, knowing the young man coming towards her would in the future, be her father. Eventually, Daniel was standing right in front of Sam and Sam barely glanced at her future father.

"You know, your friend Windblade could use some positive reinforcement. She only just escaped from the Decepticons." Daniel said.

This time, Sam looked straight up at Daniel and replied, "Yeah well, Windblade is stronger than she looks."

"All the same, it helps to have someone by your side. But something tells me Windblade isn't what's bothering you, Sam." Daniel surmised.

 _Oh, shit!_ Sam thought.

Then Verity joined Daniel. "Everything okay here, Daniel?"

Sam was inwardly panicking and mentally telling herself, _Don't blab! Don't blab! Don't blab! Don't blab!_

"It's nothing, V. I was just telling Sam not to worry too much about Windblade." Daniel claimed.

"It's not that. I was just thinking what will happen to the future if we're able to stop M.E.C.H. From unleashing the Chimeras. I mean, what happens to Windblade… or me?" Sam asked.

Daniel and Verity exchanged glances before Daniel said, "Well, that's the thing with the future. You never really know what going to happen."

"The future is always changing, but what good would it do you or Windblade to worry so much about it?" Verity added.

Sam actually thought about it. "So, I should kind of hope for the best."

"It's all anyone can do, Sam. I'm sure your parents told you the same thing." Daniel said.

Sam felt a sudden reinforcement in her heart and soul, realizing that her own future parents, Daniel and Verity, just gave her some much needed advice. "Thanks, both of you. I'm going to go check on my friend."

As Sam ran off, Daniel appeared to be lost in thought and Verity said, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I've just got this weird feeling about Sam. I know she's from the future and she's only told us the bare essentials about it, but I can't shake the feeling that maybe she's hiding something more personal." Daniel admitted.

Verity only glanced at Sam as she was not interacting with Windblade before telling Daniel, "Look, if there is something about the future she's hiding from us, I'm absolutely certain she has a good reason."

Daniel could only take Verity at her word. Soon after, Optimus Prime entered the infirmary. He gave Daniel and Verity a subtle nod before he approached Triage and Devcon. Triage was understandably too busy to give Optimus even the slightest acknowledgment, but Devcon looked directly at the Autobot leader with a small bit of reverence… maybe even respect.

"How is Devcon recovering, Triage?" Optimus Prime asked.

Without looking up, Triage replied, "Aside from a few scorch marks across his shoulder, Devcon will make an almost immediate recovery. His rather nonchalant attitude takes some getting used to, though."

"I always thought my attitude added to my unique charisma, Doc. You could use some yourself. OW!" Devcon yelped when Triage seemingly inadvertently stuck him hard.

"Oh, I'm so sorry." Triage mockingly said.

Devcon grumbled before addressing Optimus Prime, "Optimus Prime, I don't think we had the pleasure of meeting face to face."

"We haven't, Devcon, but Smokescreen spoke highly of you after you helped him rescue us." Optimus said.

"He's a good bot, a good soldier. Haven't seen him around, though. Where is he?" Devcon asked.

Optimus and Triage were silent for a moment before Optimus replied, "Smokescreen is dead. He fell in battle three Earth years ago, defending Autobot City from a Decepticon attack."

Devcon was stunned when he said, "Scrud. Did he at least go out fighting?"

"Many Autobots gave their lives on that cycle and in the end, we managed to drive off the Decepticons." Optimus Prime said, leaving out the about his own fate.

Before they could continue further, Cerebros chimed, _"Optimus, we're getting a transmission from Jazz."_

"Patch it to the infirmary, Cerebros." Optimus Prime said.

The large screen that was usually used for medical practices flickered on and Jazz and Bumblebee appeared. _"Optimus, you reading us?"_

"We're receiving you, Jazz. What is the situation?"

" _We can confirm the exact location of the M.E.C.H. base and Cerebros should've gotten the coordinates."_ Jazz said.

"Cerebros?"

" _Coordinates confirmed and uploaded to our database."_

" _One problem though, Optimus; we just spotted Buzzsaw taking off from the roof. It's a good guess that the Decepticons already have the same location."_ Bumblebeesaid.

"Fall back to minimum safe distance. Do not engage the Decepticons under any circumstances until we get there. Optimus Prime out," Once the screen blackened, it relit to show Grimlock and his Dinobots. "Grimlock, ready your team for battle."

" _Finally! I've been waiting to rip into some more 'Cons."_

Optimus cut the feed as Windblade stood up. "So does this mean we can stop the Chimeras?"

"Potentially, but we'll need to act quickly and Megatron will most likely act on this. Windblade, you'll accompany me along with Sideswipe, Hotrod, Arcee and Crosshairs."

"You mind if I tag along, Optimus? I got my own score to settle with the Decepticons." Devcon said.

"If you're fight capable, then get ready fo battle." Optimus said.

Sam started to walk away unexpectedly. Windblade wanted to inquire about where her friend was headed, but she didn't. She knew better than to pry into Sam's motives, especially if there was good reason behind them. The prevailing theory was that Sam was going to look for Alexis. Changing her mind, Windblade moved to follow Sam when she suddenly heard the same low hum from her time in the cell. This time it seemed impossible to ignore.

"Windblade," Sideswipe said. "You okay?"

Instead of replying to Sideswipe, Windblade rushed up to Optimus and told him, "Optimus, I have to tell you something."

"What is it, Windblade?" Optimus asked.

"In the future, I'm known as a City Speaker. This is going to sound strange, but while I was a prisoner here, I was sure I heard a voice coming from the walls." Windblade explained.

"Compared to the whole future thing, that doesn't sound weird at all." Sideswipe claimed.

Optimus was taking it more seriously and replied, "A voice from the walls?"

"I know it's sees impossible but… I think he's still alive." Windblade concluded.

"Who?" Sideswipe asked.

Optimus Prime boldly replied, "Metroplex."

"Impossible. Metroplex shut himself down when you were revived, Optimus." Daniel said.

"Technically, that's not the case," Wheeljack stated. "Even though he gave up all his energon to revive Optimus, there's actually still some residual levels of energon still coursing through the walls. That's enough to power the city defenses and several other systems but…"

"There's not enough for Metroplex to transform or even speak to us." Daniel concluded.

"But I can hear him, Optimus. City Speakers have the ability to communicate with cities, buildings and the like." Windblade claimed.

"You didn't say anything about this before." Sideswipe exclaimed.

"I wasn't entirely sure at the time." Windblade admitted.

Optimus Prime ultimately said, "This is a mystery that we'll have to postpone for a later time. Until then, Autobots, transform and roll out."

* * *

Alexis was feeling extremely nervous about what she was about to do, but circumstances have changed in the past few days. She looked down at her shredded right arm where the mechanical visage was visible before sliding her sleeve over it. Having found a terminal that was tailored to Humans, she started typing in the basic information she needed. She entered her name first and then she entered her date of birth: AUGUST 22, 1991. She hesitated for a short moment before hitting the search icon. Then she waited for the information to show on the screen. Her eyes bulged at what she found.

DATA NOT FOUND

She tried again using the same information, but the result was the same. One more try and the result remained unchanged. Alexis was growing increasingly frustrated and was about to snap. One flinch was all it took for her left arm to suddenly split in half and wires to sprout out. Alexis was as shocked by this as with the initial shock of her other arm, but then it was like something clicked and if she suddenly knew what to do.

On instinct, she willed the wires into the terminal and felt them snap into the points. The screen instantaneously flickered and then seemed to go haywire before a garbled video appeared. Alexis had to squint but the screen seemed to clear up on its own.

A man appeared on screen and Alexis instantly recognized him as her father, but he appeared much younger. He seemed to be in a dimly lit room, cables sprawled along the walls and the floor. The cables all seemed to converge on a large, oval-shaped object standing upright. Alexis could only assume it was a pod of some kind. She eventually found an audio option and activated it.

" _Sergeant Silas Bishop, August 19, 1991; my current studies of the mysterious object yielded only the most basic results. The object appears to be comprised of a metallic material not found anywhere on the periodic table. Studies are set to continue in the forthcoming days."_

" _August 20, 1991; There appears to be some sort of Humanoid life form inside of the alien pod, but all efforts to open the pod thus far have proven fruitless. I have yet to inform either the Army or Vivian of my discovery but I'm certain one of the two will learn of this soon. Time is very short."_

" _Silas…"_

Alexis felt her eyes widen. "Mom?"

" _This is crazy, Silas. This isn't some stray animal you keep hidden to feed and play with."_

" _This is bigger than you realize, Viv. We could potentially have some means of fighting the Transformers if they ever turn on us."_

"Transformers? Is that what I am?" Alexis whispered to herself.

 _The Autobots protect us from the Decepticons."_

" _And how long until the Autobots start attacking the Human race? This being could be the key to preventing that from happening. But I can't do anything with until I get it out of the pod and I can't do it alone. Please, Viv."_

"Mom… you knew?" Alexis whispered.

" _August 22, 1991; it took some convincing but Viv has agreed to help activate the pod to get the occupant out. We are about to commence with the procedure."_

Then there was chaos in the lab as the video showed the Silas and Vivian starting the pod. The pod whirred to life and lit up like Christmas. Then it trembled and hissed streaks of smoke from the creases before the pod seemed to exploded, causing the video to drop to the floor in the room. Someone or something burst from the pod, screeching and screaming before quickly running off screen.

Alexis was utterly stunned into disbelief by what she just witnessed, so much so that she pulled her arm from the terminal connections. Her left arm reassembled instantaneously, leaving barely visible grooves in the skin. Alexis flexed her fingers and they flexed perfectly. But that didn't ease the shock of what she witnessed.

"Alex!"

Alexis spun around and saw Sam approaching her. "Sam, hey!"

Sam was eventually within arms length when she said, "The Autobots found where your Dad's been hiding and they're getting ready to move."

"Great!" Alexis said while taking a step back and hid her right arm behind her back.

Sam quickly noticed this and asked, "Are you okay?"

Alex stammered on replying before she said, "Yeah, I'm just gathering some thoughts."

"Why're you hiding your arm like that? Are you hurt or something?"

"It's nothing, Sam, barely even a scratch."

Sam wasn't buying it and walked right up to Alexis. "Maybe you should have Verity look at it."

Out of nowhere, Alexis shouted, "Don't touch me!" and batted Sam's hand away.

An audible clang was followed by Sam wincing, "What the hell was that for?"

Alexis seethed for a moment before realizing her error and she said, "I… I didn't mean to do that. I'm sorry."

Sam shook her own arm to ease the pain while replying, "It's okay but what was that? What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

Alexis was now at a loss for words. She pulled her right arm around and held it up toward Sam. Sam didn't know what expect from Alexis, but she did catch a glimpse of the scratch marks in the sleeve of her shirt. Alexis then very hesitantly pulled the sleeve, displaying the exposed metallic surface underneath the ripped flesh. Sam was shocked to see what she was seeing and looked right up at Alexis, her shamed and pained expression ever present.

"I'm supposed to be from the future, but I didn't see this coming." she absently commented.

"Neither did I," Alexis said before collapsing against the wall. "Sam," she said. "What does this mean?"

Sam could only subtly shake her head before replying, "I don't know."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Optimus Prime knelt before the memorial pyres of the fallen the Transformers, specifically that of Elita One. "Elita… Elita, I failed you. I failed every Autobot that depended on me to protect and lead them and for that, I am truly sorry. I do not know what fate awaits us in the coming battle. I do not know what will become of us, but perhaps there is still hope the past will undo the future that lies before us. But should we meet our end, I will find you."

Bumblebee appeared at the threshold of the room. "Optimus! It's time."

"Understood." Optimus Prime replied, and Bumblebee departed. Optimus stood up and brushed his steel hand through the flame of Elita One's pyre before leaving.

Megatron and the few remaining Autobots stood on the ramparts with the city guns directed to the grayed our valley. Optimus Prime eventually arrived, standing between Megatron and Hotrod. He looked ahead and could see what his comrade saw plain as day. The massive horde of Chimeras marched toward the ruined city with Flamewar leading the charge. Optimus Prime looked toward Bumblebee, Arcee and Brainstorm. They returned the look with varying degrees of trepidation, but they trusted their leader and were ready to fight and die if needed.

"I suppose this is where it ends, isn't it, Optimus?" Megatron asked.

"We can win this. Or we'll die trying." Hotrod said.

Optimus Prime looked at Hotrod and said, "I'm not abandoning you this time, Hotrod. I'm with you until the end."

"So am I." Arcee added, bolstering Hotrod's resolve.

Bumblebee and Brainstorm nodded and Optimus readied his rifle. "Well then… Brainstorm on my mark…"

"Oh your word, Optimus." Brainstorm said, and he waited for the word.

Once the horde was closer to the city walls, Optimus Prime shouted, "FIRE!"

* * *

Author's Note: So I finally got this chapter done and we're closely in on the end of Part I. Given recent events, I'm going to hold off on the highlights this time around and leave this chapter open to review. Peace Out.

 **For Dad**


	18. Momento Mori

Disclaimer: Yeah, I took a very long time to get this chapter done. I'd been very distracted as of late with... things, so... my bad, sorry.

As usual, I don't own anything related to Transformers, unless you count the three action figures I got in my room.

* * *

Chapter XVIII

 _(Future Timeline)_

The first volley of cannon fire launched out toward the oncoming horse of Chimeras and crashed in between a single group. Then a massive wall of fire burst forth from the point of impact, rendering the unfortunate group of drones to fragments. More volleys of cannon fire shot forth and landed amid the invading sea of Chimeras and sent bits and pieces of them flying. The Transformers added to the assault from the ramparts, shredding more of the Chimeras apart groups at a time. Only Flamewar was able to avoid the oncoming fire.

Atop the ramparts, Megatron aimed his fusion cannon directly and fired a blast. The shot landed amid a small group of Chimeras and destroyed them, but Megatron still seethed. His actual target was Flamewar, but she proved a harder target to hit. She transformed and returned fire on the ramparts, missing Bumblebee and Arcee. The other Chimeras followed suit and opened fire. The Transformers ducked against the walls to shield themselves from the shots. Then the city guns blasted more clusters of Chimeras to bits.

Megatron could still see Flamewar standing among the fallen Chimeras and he jumped into the air. Transforming into his vehicle form, Megatron jetted straight after Flamewar. Flamewar quickly transformed back to her vehicle form and raced through her hordes of followers. Megatron gave chase and unleashed a barrage of laser fire, wiping out several more Chimeras but still not landing a blow on the much faster Flamewar. He eventually lost her amid the sea of mindless drones and, in a rage, laid waste to more and more Chimeras.

The Autobots continued to lay into the Chimeras that were closer to the city walls, cutting a collective swath of destruction among them. The city guns added to the assault and didn't cease until there is as nothing left of the Chimeras except wreckage amid plumes of smoke. The Autobots stood fast even as Megatron transformed overhead right between Hotrod and Brainstorm, neither of whom being impressed by his tactics.

Looking back at the rising smoke plumes, Hotrod quipped, "You sure you got them all?"

"Shut up, boy," Megatron snapped as he approached Optimus Prime. "Flamewar escaped like the coward she is."

"There's no way it's that easy." Bumblebee said.

Optimus Prime thought differently. "Stand fast, Autobots. This is only the beginning."

"You are aware that I'm not an Autobot, yes?" Megatron said.

Optimus replied, "You are now, Megatron."

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Silas paced along with an impatient step as he approached one of his scientists at her station. "What the status on the prototype?"

The woman nervously tensed up and replied, "Power levels are currently at 63 percent and climbing… slowly."

"Slowly… and at only 63 percent?" Silas said.

"The power needed to activate my this prototype is well beyond the main outside generator's capacity to handle. The rest of the entire facility is barely coping as it is." The scientist claimed.

Silas leaned in like a shadow to over the scientist and sneered, "I don't care how much juice is used. I want the Flamewar prototype at full 100 percent operation by day's end. Is that clear?"

Now the scientist was scared to death and she sheepishly replied, "Yes, sir."

Silas wasn't done and he spun around toward the other scientists in the room. "That goes for everyone involved on this project. I want Flamewar up and running today, not 30 years or a month or even a day from now… TODAY!"

* * *

Outside of the facility, the two guards at the main gate spotted two military vehicles approaching. One was a missile truck and the other was an Abrams tank. One of the guards asked, "Did we call reinforcements?"

Before the other guard could answer, the missile truck opened fire and vaporized both guards before they could react. The other guards around the base quickly assembled and fired on the vehicle, but the Abrams tank launched it own volley and killed a third guard. Realizing they were dealing with Onslaught and Brawl of the Combaticons, the two remaining guards hustled toward a parked Jeep and threw themselves into the seats. Then they were tossed right back out as the Jeep transformed into Swindle.

"Where do you think you're going, Humans?" Swindle said as Vortex approached from above and Blast Off flew overhead.

"Let me have them, Swindle. I've been wanting to have some fun with Humans for a while." Vortex said.

"All yours, Vortex. I'm going to see what parts I can salvage from their toys." Swindle said.

"Now isn't the time for that, Swindle. I want you and Brawl to take up the parameter while Vortex and Blast Off patrol the airspace." Onslaught said just before he was suddenly beset by gunfire.

More Human soldiers poured out of the building and shot their rifles at the Combaticons. Onslaught retaliated swiftly with a single shot of his own gun, instantly wiping out several soldiers while sending others scurrying away. The ones that survived the initial attack took up various positions around the facility and the Combaticons themselves. They fired shot after in a rapid hailstorm of fire, forcing Onslaught, Brawl and Swindle to bunch together. That didn't long long as soon when Vortex hit the soldiers with a whirlwind attack and sent several of them flying.

More troops spilled out of the base, too many for the five Combaticons to handle. But then Onslaught bellowed, "Combaticons, unite."

In unison, the Combaticons quickly came together and combined into Bruticus. The hulking giant stalked the Humans and attacked with a straight kick. Soldiers went flying onto the ground or into the walls of the facility, the latter of which weren't so lucky. The soldiers regrouped and focused fire on the giant's head, actually managing to drive him back. Then there came to unexpected rumbling of something under the ground.

A massive drill burst forth and Bonecrusher appeared, scattering the soldiers nearest to his point of entrance. It didn't take long for Scavenger and Mixmaster to arrive, the former swinging his shovel around and the latter spewing acid along the area. Eventually, Long Haul, Hook and finally Scrapper arrived to complete the group. Without waiting, the Constructicons came together to form Devastator.

This time, the soldiers didn't stand a chance again two Decepticon combiners and they retreated. That didn't stop Devastator from throwing a single kick that sent some hapless Humans airborne. Some soldiers tried to escape by any remaining vehicle but they were suddenly accosted by a massive black and purple alien tank. That same tank transformed into Tarn, and he looked down at the soldiers with malice in his optics. The rest of the DJD arrived shortly after with Silhouette and Off Road pointing their guns at the hapless soldiers.

"Ugh, these Humans are everywhere. Let me kill them, Tarn." Off Road begged.

"Not yet, Off Road. These Humans will make for good collateral in case the Autobots show up. I want you and Knock Out to patrol the parameter. Clench will be our optics in the sky and Silhouette stays here with me." Tarn said.

"Wait, why do I have to patrol the parameter?"

Silhouette grabbed Knock Out and snapped, "You've been complaining ever since we arrived in the Sol System, Knock Out. Tarn gave you an order so follow it."

"Enough," shouted the just arriving Megatron, with Dreadwing at his side. "Tarn, get your crew in line. The Autobots will be here soon and if they don't scrap Knock Out, I will."

"Fine. Knock Out stays with me, and Silhouette goes on patrol with Off Road. If it has even the slightest hint of an Autobot insignia, blast it back to the Rust Age." Tarn said.

* * *

Out in the woods, Jazz, Bumblebee and Spike looked on as the Decepticons set up positions around the base. "This sucks having to watch good soldiers die." Spike said.

"Yeah. We could go in there with guns blazing but we're outnumbered. And, Optimus told us not to engage." Bumblebee added.

Jazz was watching as Silhouette and Off Road were entering the woods and replied, "Prime said not to engage. He didn't say we couldn't improvise."

"What'd you have in mind?" Spike asked.

Jazz deployed his grappling hook and replied, "It's been a long time since I used this toy. Let's see if I remember how to shoot."

* * *

Off Road silently snuck through the woods or at least as silently as his frame would allow. Silhouette followed close behind; both were armed and ready for anything. A family of rabbits rushed passed Off Road and he nearly opened fire on them. He cringed at the mere sight of the organic creatures and was a hair trigger away from blasting them. Silhouette noticed and gave him a telling glance to hold his fire. Something then caught their attention up ahead. A single tree suddenly toppled to the ground and Silhouette nodded to Off Road to check it out. Off Road went ahead while Silhouette remained behind.

"Tarn, we might have something here. Stand by…"

Meanwhile, Off Road found the source of the disturbing which was in fact a fallen tree. He noticed that it was uprooted but it wasn't natural causes. Something… someone forcibly pulled the tree down. Off Road crouched down to examine the tree, unaware of the seemingly ghostly image emerging behind him. From her vantage point, Silhouette only saw that Off Road appeared to fall over on himself. Cursing her colleague's apparent clumsiness, she approached the area and found Off Road on his back trying to recover.

"What are you doing, Off Road? Get up!" Silhouette said, unaware of another ghostly image in the treetop.

Off Road shouted, "Look out behind you."

* * *

"Seriously?" Silhouette wondered before turning around. The ghostly image dropped onto her.

"Silhouette, what's your status," Tarn asked but getting no answer. "Silhouette? Off Road?"

"Maybe they're out of range." Knock Out suggested.

"Problems, Tarn?" Megatron said.

"Nothing that can't be handled, Megatron. Clench, do you see anything?" Tarn said.

" _I've got no visual on Silhouette or Off Road, Tarn. But there may be movement at the rear of the facility."_ Clench replied.

Megatron heard the reply and turned to Devastator. "It may be the Autobots, Devastator. Give them their last welcome."

 **"YES, LORD MEGATRON."**

Devastator lumbered toward the rear of the facility, cautious in his approach and ready for anything. The trees appeared to shift to either side as something within them drew closer toward the giant Transformer. Then seemingly without warning, Grimlock charged forward and buried his head right into Devastator's chest. The Dinobot pushed on and forced Devastator back and soon after Grimlock made his entrance, the rear of the Dinobots emerged. Slag and Sludge joined their lead again Devastator while Quickstrike, Snarl and Swoop attacked Bruticus. The chaos sent the other Decepticons scattering, and Megatron took off into the sky.

From above, Megatron could see the Autobots approaching with Optimus Prime leading the charge and he shouted, "DECEPTICONS ATTACK!"

Optimus Prime quickly transformed and branded the Star Saber while Windblade, Hotrod, Arcee, Sideswipe and Crosshairs all transformed in unison. "Autobots, defend this facility."

The Autobots split up into groups of three. Optimus Prime led Windblade and Sideswipe against the Decepticons directly while Hotrod took Arcee and Crosshairs and moved around to the other side of the facility. Dreadwing took to the sky while Tarn and Knock Out charged forward against the Autobots. Across the way from the fighting, Bumblebee and Jazz races out of the woods with Silhouette and Off Road in pursuit of them. They split off with Bumblebee joining Prime's group and Jazz joining Hotrod's group.

Optimus Prime's group was within reach of the facility when Windblade stopped short. She used her City Speaker skills to tap into the facility, and what she saw inside frightened her. M.E.C.H. was close to activating Flamewar. The Humans inside were scrambling to get the prototype online, and even Silas was pushing hard for it.

"Optimus, Flamewar is almost ready. We've got to hurry." Windblade said.

Before Optimus could give an order, Megatron and Dreadwing landed in front of the three Autobots. "Come to save the day again, Optimus?"

"Step aside, Megatron. We are here to ensure that the Chimera future never comes to pass." Optimus declared.

"I agree, which is why the Decepticons will be taking the prototype to unleash against both the Humans and the Autobots." Megatron said.

"You can't, Megatron. Flamewar is too dangerous to used by anyone, so it has to be destroyed to change the future." Windblade said.

"Believe me when I tell you, Windblade; the future _will_ be different and it _will_ favor the Decepticons." Megatron said before he opened fire on the trio.

The three Autobots scattered before Optimus Prime recovered and launched straight toward Megatron. Megatron followed suit and they collided with each other, with momentum on the side of Megatron. The two leaders fell back to the ground where Optimus Prime quickly kicked Megatron away before taking off into the sky. Megatron growled and followed his rival upward, transforming mid takeoff and firing at Optimus.

Back on the ground, Windblade was briefly distracted and didn't see Dreadwing fire a shot at her. Sideswipe acted fast and tackled her out of the way of the blast. They fell to the ground and split apart to avoid another shot. As soon as they recovered, Dreadwing launched straight toward Windblade. Sideswipe rushed into the path of Dreadwing and the two collided, just missing Windblade by inches. They tumbled over each other and Dreadwing landed away from Sideswipe, who in turn landed near Windblade.

Deploying a sword, Sideswipe said, "Windblade, go! Find the prototype and take it out."

"I'm not letting you fight alone, Sideswipe." Windblade said.

"Yeah you are, now go!" Sideswipe demanded, and Windblade reluctantly rushed off.

Dreadwing drew his own sword and said, "Now you get to die as your brother died, Sideswipe; like a coward."

"Give it your best shot, you stinking piece of scrap." Sideswipe coldly replied. Then he and Dreadwing charged straight for each other.

Windblade pushes toward the front end of the facility but stopped short of it. Tarn, Knock Out stood in her way and Clench landed a few meters behind her. "This isn't anything personal, kid. Business is business." Tarn claimed.

"The future of impending doom doesn't bother you?" Windblade said.

"We don't care about the future. We're just looking for a payout." Clench said.

"How 'bout now?" a voice asked and Devcon landed right beside Windblade.

"You must be Devcon." Tarn said.

"Yeah, that's me. What about it?"

Suddenly seething, Tarn coldly declared, "I take back what I said before. This was supposed to be business but you infiltrated my crew and screwed everything up. So now, business just became personal."

"Then what're you waiting for?" Devcon asked, and Tarn charged forward.

Devcon charged and he tackled Tarn head on. Windblade saw Knock Out feign an approach and she instinctively fired an air blast at him. Knock Out moved clear of the blast and cleared the way for Windblade to make her move on the facility, but then Clench opened fire on her. One volley sent Windblade to the ground but she quickly got back up and took off into the air, quickly transforming in the process. Clench fired on her before he launched up, transformed and gave chase.

* * *

Silas could see the opening moments of chaos from outside the facility and turned to his scientists. "Give me a status report, now."

"Chimera prototype at 81% power." One of the scientists said.

"Speed it up. I want this machine at 100% power." Silas said.

"Sir, we're at maximum power and the back up generators are barely coping under the strain." The same scientist claimed.

Silas rushed to the scientist and grabbed his coat collar. "I don't care if you have to siphon power from the nearest town or built a solar collector or find a set a of Triple A batteries. I want the Chimera online at 100%... RIGHT NOW."

Silas was clearly becoming increasingly frantic as the Transformers were heard battling outside. His mania unnerved the scientists to the point where they were hesitant to even breathe much less speak. They took to continuing to work as hard as possible to get the Chimera, not knowing how the future would turn out for them.

But Silas… he was pacing around like a madman desperate for salvation. He looked back at the Chimera prototype, at Flamewar. That was his salvation, and the salvation of the Human race. But much like the beleaguered scientists around him, Silas had no idea how Flamewar would so adversely effect the future. It was even less likely that Silas cared at all.

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

The Transformers waited for the Chimeras to make their move. The grim landscape surrounding them offered nothing but silence and that sense of dread. The only audible sound was the wind blowing around them. Optimus Prime and Megatron stood side by side like the brothers they could've been in happier times on Cybertron. Hotrod, Arcee, Bumblebee and Brainstorm stood close and just below one of the city turrets as it pivoted from one side to the other.

Bumblebee looked at Optimus and said to him, "Something's not right. Why aren't they attacking?"

"I do not know, Bumblebee," Optimus said. He took another look at his surroundings before he said, "Autobots, spread out. Teams of two, cover one another."

As Optimus Prime instructed, the Autobots separated into teams of two. Hotrod and Arcee formed one duo while Brainstorm and Bumblebee formed another. Each duo moved to opposite end of the ramparts while Optimus Prime and Megatron remained in their current position and waited for something to happen. The stillness grew increasingly unnerving. While Optimus and Megatron remained resolute, the other two teams twitched at the slightest hint of motion that crossed their lines of view.

Bumblebee took a step toward the end of his position on the ramparts. Brainstorm stayed close to him as he looked over the edge. Bumblebee couldn't see anything aside from a thick layer of fog, not even the ground at the base of the wall. It made him nervous. The Chimeras were making the Transformers wait, using intimidation tactics to unsettle them. He wasn't sure about Optimus or the others, but Bumblebee was very intimidated.

"Optimus?" he said.

"Stay vigilant, Bumblebee." Optimus Prime said.

Bumblebee returned to his post and looked over the edge. He still couldn't see anything beyond the fog, but then he tended when the fog seemed to shift ever so slightly. He aimed his gun straight down at the point of movement in the fog and his finger was resting on the trigger. Then he saw a single Chimera scaling up the wall. On instinct, Bumblebee fired on the Chimera, striking it in the shoulder and knocking it back a few inches. It kept coming up the wall and Bumblebee fires again. Brainstorm joined he and fired on the Chimera.

Another Chimera appeared beside it and the two Autobots unloaded on it. The sounds of laser fire ringed from the opposite end of the ramparts. Hotrod and Arcee were also firing on their side. Then Optimus and Megatron were also heard blasting away the invaders. More Chimeras scales the walls of the city and the Transformers were able to hold them at bay for as long as possible. Eventually, the Chimeras appeared to retreat back down into the fog below and gave the Transformers a moment of reprieve.

"Well, that was random." Arcee said.

"I know, and that scares the scrap out of me." Hotrod replied.

"It's like the Chimeras are testing our defenses." Brainstorm said.

"It's seems more like they are testing our resolve, and they are biding the time until one of us makes a mistake." Megatron claimed.

"Everyone stay alert." Optimus Prime said.

The Transformers returned to their defense positions and waited for the next wave. It didn't take long for another group of Chimeras to start scaling the city wall, this time climbing toward Optimus and Megatron. The two leaders fired on the Chimeras with everything they had, throw blasts shredding through the Chimeras as they came. A handful of Chimeras managed to clear the edge of the ramparts, forcing Optimus and Megatron to fight them off.

The other Transformers quickly joined the fray. Bumblebee and Brainstorm managed to pushed one of the Chimeras back while Hotrod and Arcee shot it apart. Other Chimeras were shot off the ramparts, but one single Chimera managed to push through. It ignored the other Transformers entirely and went straight for Optimus Prime, brandishing a bladed appendage. Megatron saw this and stepped right between Optimus and the Chimera, taking the blades weapon directly into his lower chassis.

It was as if time stood still in that moment as Megatron took half the length of the blade. But he didn't immediately go down, instead taking the full length of the blade and drawing in the Chimera. The Chimera shrieked in Megatron's face and Megatron returned the sentiment, before driving the barrel of his cannon into the Chimera's head and pulling the trigger. The Chimera's head was instantly vaporized. Megatron pushes the dead machine away and threw it from the ramparts before he collapsed from the ordeal. Optimus immediately dropped to check on Megatron as he pulled the blade from his chassis.

Megatron looked at Optimus and gleefully said, "I've had worse injuries, Optimus. This is nothing."

"Just remain still, Megatron." Optimus said.

As bad as the damage to Megatron appeared, nothing could've prepared the Transformers from happened next. Without any warning at all, Flamewar leapt into full view with her own blades weapon. She landed and thrust her weapon straight ahead… right through Bumblebee. The very last look that Bumblebee had on his face was one of shock, sadness and despair. The Transformers, and Optimus Prime most of all, could only watch as Bumblebee's optics dimmed and his body turned ash gray. Then Flamewar callously tossed Bumblebee's dead frame over the ramparts, where it fell and vanished into the fog… the same fog from which more Chimeras began their climb.

Flamewar stood before the Transformers as they were still trying process the death of Bumblebee. She coldly said, "One down, five to go."

* * *

Author's Note: Like I said, this took a very long time to complete due to a number distractions. This is pretty much the final battle for Part I of the story and as fair warning, there's going to be a bit of shifting between the present and the future so try to keep up. Send those reviews and I'll hopefully be back sooner rather than later. Peace.

 **In Memory Of**

 **Luke Perry**  
 **1966-2019**

 **King Kong Bundy**  
 **1957-2019**


	19. Shock To The System

Disclaimer: Okay, so this didn't take as long as my previous chapters, but it was still pretty long. But we are getting close to the end of Part I and I'm brainstorming how Part II is going to play out. The length it'll take to finish the entire story could very well be double the length time it took to finish my Avengers/Justice League crossover. Thanks for bearing with me all the same.

* * *

Chapter XIX

 _(Present Timeline)_

Alexis was scared to death as Sam led her to the infirmary with the intent of seeing Triage. The Autobot physician was no where to be found, nor was Carly. She had gone to work with Cerebros and Elita One. Daniel and Verity were present however, so all wasn't completely lost. Sam started to approach them but Alexis noticeably hesitated. She covered up her arm and the damage done to it. Sam waited for a moment and looked back, noting that Daniel and Verity hadn't noticed her or Alexis yet.

"Alex, c'mon. Let's go." Sam said.

Alexis shook her head in fear, replying, "I can't. I can't do this, I can't let them see this."

Sam quickly approached Alexis. "Alex, it's okay. I'm going to be right here next to you."

"You're making it sound like we're coming out." Alexis claimed in exasperation.

"Well, you kind of are if you think about it," Sam said, and Alexis gave her a very annoyed glare. "Right, shouldn't have said that."

"Hey…" a voice called out, and Daniel approached Sam and Alexis, the latter concealing her arm. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." Alexis claimed before Sam could reply.

"You sure?" Daniel wondered.

"Hey, what's going on here?" Verity asked.

Now Sam was nervous amid the presence of her future parents, but she looked to Alexis and told, "Alex, you have to tell them."

"And what about you, Sam? Aren't you going to tell them?" Alexis snapped and instantly regretted it. Sam didn't say a word in protest.

"Tell us what? What's happening?" Daniel said.

Alexis remained reluctant to reveal what she and Sam knew, but she was also kicking herself for blowing up on Sam before. Sam seemed to take it in stride but she was also kicking herself for not telling Daniel and Verity the truth about her. Both had to come clean and Alexis was going to go first. She stepped forward so Daniel and Verity could get the best possible look at what they were about to witness. Still hesitant but with a bit more resolve, Alexis pulled the sleeve from her right arm.

Daniel and Verity's stunned faces spoke volumes once they saw the cybernetic underlay amid the shredded flesh of Alexis's arm. Alexis looked away for a moment in anguish but looked back at Daniel and Verity. Their expressions didn't change, mixes of shock and possibly horror. That was because this wasn't the first time they'd seen this kind of thing. Alexis quickly noticed the level of astonishment in their faces and determined what was obvious.

"You've seen this before." She concluded.

Daniel looked at Verity before he said, "Yeah, we did."

Alexis exasperated and pulled her sleeve back down. "I don't know what this means. I… I don't know what to do."

"Alex, it's okay." Sam reassured Alexis.

Daniel approached Alexis and put his hand on her shoulder. "We should talk to Triage."

* * *

Another fuse blew out as Brainstorm and Highbrow attempted to bring the Technobots online. Another failure was the result. The added assistance of both Wheeljack, Triage and Rattletrap did little to improve the chances of bringing the team back. Frustrations were steadily on the rise but the five Autobots stayed on task. It wasn't long before Ultra Magnus arrived to get an idea of the situation, walking in just as Highbrow was prepping another test run.

"How many tests does this make, Brainstorm?" he asked.

"I lost count around fifteen. Let's just keep going, Highbrow. We can't stop now." Brainstorm said.

"Be careful you boys don't completely short out the entire city. We'll be sitting cyber ducks for the Decepticons otherwise." Ultra Magnus said.

"Either that or you morons will blow us all to atoms. I vote atoms." Rattletrap said.

"Then how about you lend more of a hand instead of wandering around aimlessly, Rattletrap." Brainstorm said.

"I very much agree with him, Rattletrap. You've hardly done anything aside from complaining." Triage added.

"I brought you mad scientists the tools you needed." Rattletrap countered.

"You've done nothing else beyond that." Wheeljack said.

"That because I'm the only one smart enough to see that if these Techno-dweebs come back, then we're all pretty much dead." Rattletrap claimed.

"That's enough, everyone. This constant bickering is not going to get the job done and Optimus might need the Technobots if things go south with the Decepticons. And Rattletrap, get you scrawny little tailpipe in there and help them. That's an order." Ultra Magnus said.

Rattletrap slouched and muttered, "We're all gonna die."

Ultra Magnus was already too annoyed to respond to Rattletrap's prattling. He set about trying to help the Autobots in getting the Technobots up and running. Soon after, Sam and Alexis arrived with Daniel and Verity accompanying them. The were able to quickly find Triage working amongst his peers and Sam has to push Alexis to approach him. Triage didn't immediately react to her appearance and Alexis again tried to hide the exposed metal in her arm. But in an act of bravado, she finally spoke up.

"Triage, I need to show you something."

"Whatever it is, I've no interest in it." Triage said without a glance at Alexis.

Daniel then stepped up and said, "You might want to take interest, Triage. This is very serious."

"And what possibly could be…" Triage finally looked at Alexis and went nearly speechless.

Ultra Magnus finally noticed the damaged arm of Alexis and uttered, "What in the name of Primus…?"

Then the rest of the Autobots looked at Alexis with stunned astonishment painted on their faces while Alexis said, "Yeah! Yeah, it's like that."

Rattletrap stated out loud, "Yep, we're all definitely gonna die."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

The Autobots pushed forward against Flamewar in an attempt to avenge the fallen Bumblebee. Hotrod and Arcee quickly converged on their foe, mixing in a series of hand to hand blows to try to get the lone Chimera off guard. This allowed for Brainstorm to take flight and unleash a barrage of laser fire. But Flamewar was more cagey and better prepared for them. She easily pushed through down Arcee and kicked Hotrod against the wall before firing back at Brainstorm and nearly taking him out of the sky.

But then the real challenge came in the form of Optimus Prime. He charged forward, compelling his fellow Autobots to back away. He landed the first of many hard strikes to Flamewar's face, rocking her and forcing a step back to be taken. Flamewar didn't have much time to recover as Optimus Prime managed to land more hard blows on her. A knee to the chassis was successful in bringing Flamewar down. Another knee to her face sent to the hard surface of the ramparts.

"That was for Bumblebee," Optimus said before he landed a hard overhead punch to Flamewar's face. "That was for Jazz. And this is for everyone else you killed, Flamewar."

Flamewar saw her opening and struck, driving into Optimus the same blade that felled Bumblebee. "That… is for the life you stole from me. My name was Josie Beller and your kind took my life away from me."

A sudden blast of violet energy erupted and slammed into Flamewar, sending her flying away from Optimus. Wounded but functional, Optimus Prime looked back to see Megatron upright but holding his free hand to his own open wound, fluid leaking from underneath his fingers. After the other Autobots quickly regrouped around him and Megatron, Optimus Prime looked toward where Flamewar was sent flying.

Flamewar was starting to get back up, and a small group of Chimeras climbed up over the ramparts behind her. More Chimeras climbed over the edge from where Bumblebee had fallen upon his death. It was long until it became obvious that the Transformers were slowly being outnumbered. It was then that Optimus Prime was forced to do something he'd hardly ever done.

"Autobots, fall back! Into the city, now!"

"We'll be sitting cyber ducks in the city." Brainstorm said.

"Better in there than surrounded out here." Megatron claimed.

"Move, Autobots!" Optimus said.

The Chimeras started to push forward and forced The Transformers down into the courtyard below. Optimus Prime helped Megatron along whole the both took any shots at the Chimeras. Hotrod, Arcee and Brainstorm continued to fire on the Chimeras as they dropped into the courtyard. Flamewar stood atop the rampart as her mindless minions were felled by oncoming fire from the Transformers. The Transformers managed to enter the city even as they continued firing at the Chimeras. But as soon as the firing stopped, Flamewar dropped into the courtyard and approached the entrance in the city.

"Hunt them down. Kill them all."

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Swoop came down on Bruticus with barrage of rockets, leaving the giant off balance. Snark whipped his spiked tail into the knee joint, forcing Bruitcus to drop to his other knee. This gave Quickstrike an opportunity to pounce and slash at the giant's face with a viscous rage. Another rocket strike from Swoop brought Bruticus down and Snarl slammed his tail onto Bruticus to keep down.

On the other side of the battlefield, Grimlock torched Devastator with his fire breath. While the giant tried to extinguish the flames, Slag rammed into him and Sludge stomped the ground to unsteady him further. Devastator finally fell backward, sending a tremor across the ground. All six Dinobots regrouped as Devastator rose back up to his feet.

" **PUNY DINOBOTS ARE NO MATCH FOR DEVASTATOR."**

But the Dinobots weren't about to back down and Grimlock said, "Me Grimlock say Dinobots show stupid Devastator thing or two. DINOBOTS UNITE."

The Dinobots came together and combined into their giant form of Volcanicus with Quickstrike becoming the sword. Without waiting for Devastator to make his move, Volcanicus rushed him with his sword pointed straight forward. Devastator managed to avoid the first thrust and responded with a counterpunch. Volcanicus was ready for it, dodging the punch and landing a hard punch to Devastator's face to stagger. Volcanicus pressed the assault, grappling Devastator and forcing him back toward the trees.

Bruticus was getting back up and saw Devastator and Volcanicus battling. He made a move but he was suddenly attacked by several of the Autobots. Hotrod, Bumblebee and Arcee were driving around his legs to confuse him, while Crosshairs was atop the facility taking shots at his head. Jazz suddenly leapt from the roof and grappled onto the giant's head. He took several close range shots at Bruticus' face before Bruticus tried to swat him away. Crosshairs managed to shoot Bruticus in the knee joint to bring him down, giving Hotrod, Bumblebee and Arcee an opening to fire on him.

But it wasn't long until Off Road and Silhouette moves on the three Autobots. Off Road slammed into Hotrod while Silhouette took down Arcee. Bumblebee remained for a brief moment before Bruticus tried to strike him with his massive fist, forcing Bumblebee to flee. Then he yanked Jazz off of him and tossed him into Crosshairs, sendin both off the roof. Bruticus started to make his move on Volcanicus and Devastator, the former clearly dominating the latter.

Meanwhile, Clench chased Windblade through the air and fired on her relentlessly. Windblade was doing all she could to avoid getting shot down but knew had to lose her pursuer. She knew that time was literally running out for the future and she or any of the Autobots had to stop Flamewar from rising. One of those Autobots was Sideswipe, who was locked in a struggle against Dreadwing. She tried to move but Clench continued to fire on her. Until she could find a chance to help Sideswipe, Windblade was on her own.

At the same time, Optimus Prime was locked in his own struggle against Megatron. They traded a serious of near strikes and nearer misses with their respective melee weapons. Megatron nearly landed a hit with his energon mace, but Optimus Prime used the Star Saber to deflect the blow. Optimus Prime quickly retaliated with a precision slash that struck the mace and shorted it out. Megatron felt the sting of theStar Saber but he wasn't backing down.

He fired a volley from his fusion cannon, and Optimus deflected the blast with the Saber. Optimus saw an opening and jetted straight at Megatron. But Megatron had come prepared this time. He put his left arm out and deployed an ornate shield. The Star Saber collider with the shield and the ensuing blast forced Optimus back. Recovering from the shock, Optimus was surprised at what Megatron was holding.

"The Skyboom Shield." He spoke out loud.

"You didn't think I'd not come prepared for your Star Saber, did you? If so then you're more arrogant than you let on," Megatron said as redeployed his mace. "Now, I'll be taking that Chimera prototype if you don't mind."

"I can not allow that, Megatron. The Chimera will be the doom of all life, Autobot and Decepticon included, so it must be destroyed."

Megatron launched forward with the Skyboom Shield in front, forcing Optimus Prime to block with the Star Saber and holding fast against the ensuing blast wave. "Spare me you tired speeches, Megatron. I stopped listening to them long before I slated you the first time, assuming you haven't forgotten."

"Very well, Megatron," Optimus pushes back against Megatron. "If you won't listen to reason, then I'll have to beat the truth into you."

"Try it, Prime." Megatron challenged, and the two clashed once more.

* * *

"Where are we now? Someone talk to me." Silas said.

One of the nerve-racked scientists replied, "We're at 85% now, sir."

"All this time and you only went up 4%?," Silas snagged the scientist by his coat collar. "I expect a hell of a lot better than 4 goddamn percent. GET IT DONE!"

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Optimus Prime hope he hadn't made a mistake in leading the Autobots and the wounded Megatron into the city. The corridor they traversed through was long and narrow, but the five remaining Transformers still managed to cross through it easily. Arcee looked back. The Chimeras were having a more difficult time pushing through the corridor but she saw no sign of Flamewar. Brainstorm and Hotrod stopped periodically to fire on the Chimeras, managing to wipe out several of them and making more difficult for the others to push forward.

The Transformers made it halfway down the corridor before Hotrod suddenly stopped, which Optimus noticed, "Hotrod, what are you doing?"

"Get going, Optimus. I'll hold them off."

Optimus looked back at Hotrod and said to him, "There are too many of them, Hotrod. You will not make it."

"Maybe not, but I can at least buy you some time." Hotrod claimed.

Then Arcee joined Hotrod, followed closely by Brainstorm. "If you're staying, then so am I." Arcee said.

"Me too." Brainstorm added.

Optimus Prime hesitated. He didn't want to leave his Autobots behind to fight a losing battle. He wanted to fight, wanted die fighting with them. Megatron would've agreed to Ben as he was bleeding fluid from his wound. Optimus Prime was prepared to remain, but then Hotrod gave him a telling glance. Then Arcee looked to Optimus and nodded to him, and then Brainstorm did the same. Their collective expressions all provided Optimus with a sense of reassurance… maybe even hope. Optimus finally nodded his own approval to his Autobots.

"Til all are one, Optimus Prime." Hotrod said.

"Til all are one." Optimus Prime replied as he took Megatron further down corridor.

The three Autobots took a defensive position to face down the incoming Chimeras, and Brainstorm said, "There's no way we can stop that many of them."

"We can slow them down." Arcee said.

"Yeah, but for how long?" Brainstorm asked.

Hotrod cocked his gun and replied, "As long as it takes. We're not getting out of the alive, so let's take down as many of these things as we can."

Arcee and Brainstorm nodded as Flamewar finally appeared amid the horde of Chimeras. She sneered at the three Autobots that stood before her and her army. Brave, she thought. Brave, noble and heroic… and stupid. Stupid and borderline suicidal on their part. But it was their funeral. With her arm outstretched, Flamewar clasped her hand into a fist. The Chimeras took that as a sign to charge forward… and charge they did.

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Triage couldn't begin to comprehend what he was examining on Alexis. He knew exactly what he was looking but he couldn't the how or why. That alone made Alexis edgy, while Sam, Daniel and Verity all shared the same astonished gaze. Ultra Magnus maintained a calm and collective demeanor through it all. He had to if he wanted to keep the other Autobots from declaring Alexis as a threat. After a good while of studying the exposed cybernetics of Alexis's arm, Triage finally knew what he intended to say.

"There's no denying it; this is Cybertronian technology but there are other elements spliced into it as well." He explained.

"What kind of elements are we talking about?" Ultra Magnus asked.

Triage looked at Magnus and replied, "The Human kind. Alexis isn't just part Cybertronian but part Human as well."

"You mean like that Pretender that attacked me and Verity?"

"Not quite. The Pretender was a fully functioning Transformer, but Alexis is made up of both Human and Cybertronian elements. The worst part is I can't say exactly how this is possible." Triage said just as the lights flickered on and off again.

"The Technobots again. We'll have to continue this later, Triage." Ultra Magnus said as he left the infirmary and Triage followed him.

Alexis say along the edge of the metal bed, seeming laughing but also crying while Sam noticed it. "Are you okay?" Sam asked.

Still chuckling but cursing under her breath, Alexis bitterly replied, "My entire life is a lie. Dad knew it. Mom probably knew it, and neither of them told me the truth."

"They had to have good reasons. Maybe they didn't want you to feel…" Daniel said.

Alexis quickly cut him off, saying, "To feel what? Different? Look at me, look at my arm. I'm an alien robot and no idea how I was made or who made me. I'm not even sure if I'm an Autobot or a Decepticon. I… I don't know. I just… I need to go."

"Alex!" Sam called out, but was already gone.

"Damn. I guess there isn't a good reason." Daniel said.

"I'd be pretty upset too if a loved one kept from me a secret that big." Verity replied.

Sam listened to every word spoken and finally made a decision. She spun around to meet Daniel and Verity and told them. "Daniel, Verity, there's something I have to tell you."

* * *

Another failure on reviving the Technobots led to more frustration from Brainstorm, to the point where kicked the control console. The other Autobots kept quiet amongst themselves but they knew that Brainstorm was approaching his wit's end. The lights flickered back on and Brainstorm was able to cool down and collect himself as Ultra Magnus and Triage returned. Magnus studies the five inert Technobots lining the floor before he addressed Highbrow and Wheeljack.

"Another failure?" he asked.

"We're running short on options. There's just not enough power in the city to bring the Technobots back online." Highbrow said.

"The same method worked to bring back Optimus Prime, but that was just one Autobot. We're trying to bring back five and the city's barely coping with the stress." Wheeljack added.

Brainstorm saw Alexis enter the room, finally taking in the sight of her cybernetic arm before his field of vision caught something sparking. Looking down, he saw a jolt bouncing from panel underneath the control console. Alexis noticed it too and moved to check it out. Brainstorm removed the panel and looked inside, where a single conduit was sparking.

"You've got to be kidding me. Magnus, I think I found the issue. There's a dislodged power conduit that supposed to be connected to the main power. That's probably why we keep getting these short outs." Brainstorm said.

"Can you fix it?" Magnus asked.

Brainstorm was already, even managing to get his arm into the space, but he couldn't feel if he was anywhere close to touching the conduit. "No. We needed something or someone smaller."

Ultra Magnus looked at Rattletrap, who frantically spouted, "Oh no, no, no! I'm not sticking my die cast behind in there! No way!"

"And what if I gave you an expressed order?" Ultra Magnus asked.

"I would politely decline because unlike you jokers, I actually like being alive." Rattletrap claimed.

"Rattletrap…" Ultra Magnus exasperated.

But then Alexis suddenly chimes in, "I'll do it."

"What?!" Ultra Magnus asked.

"Absolutely out of the question, Alexis. You have no idea of the damage that can be done to Human flesh." Triage said.

"I'm only half Human, and the other half is Cybertronian. Plus, I'm smaller than all of you, which would make me uniquely qualified." Alexis claimed.

"Alexis, it's too dangerous. You could be killed." Brainstorm said.

"Hey, I'm not completely Human, and my life was a fabrication. What else do I have to lose?" Alexis said.

Without waiting for any more protests from the Autobots, Alexis skipped into the open compartment. Brainstorm reluctantly ushered her inside but kept optic on her. Alexis was instantly taken aback by the sheer amount of circuitry in the small space, but she crawled forward toward the conduit as it sparked little bolts of electricity. They sparks weren't nearly large enough to be a threat, but Alexis wasn't taking any chances. She moved deeper into the crawl space slowly and carefully until she was within arms length of the dislodged conduit.

But then what? Alexis had no idea what she was supposed to do next. Plus, the conduit was about as big as she was. A sudden jolt of sparks started her, and she instinctively brought up her right arm to block the spark. Then she was even more startled when her suddenly shifted and changed its shape and appearance. Even the flesh was gone, leaving only the metal underside. It didn't look like an arm anymore, but more like an claw-like apparatus. This nearly sent Alexis into a frenzy before Brainstorm called to her.

Alexis, are you okay in there?"

"My arm; it just… transformed." Alexis said.

"I can see that. Listen to me, Alex. You have reattach the conduit to the main power." Brainstorm explained.

Alexis was starting to panic, saying, "I'm not sure I can do this."

"You'll be okay. I'll guide you through it," Brainstorm said. "Grab the conduit with you hand and reattach it to the main power."

"And if I get electrocuted?" Alexis asked.

"You'll be okay. I'm right here."

Alexis looked at the conduit as it sparked again. She knew she was dead, but she slowly started to reach for the conduit. She was finger… claw-tips away from the conduit and she shut her eyes. The claw seemed to expand on instinct, startling Alexis even set her concerns aside and focused on the task at hand. Then she reached and grabbed hold of the conduit. Nothing happened. Alexis felt nothing even close to an electrical surge, so luck appeared to be favoring her. But now it was one to the next step of reattaching the conduit to the main power. This time wasn't as easy once she made the attachment.

The surge was instant and immediate while outside of the compartment, the lights of the city became bright enough to blind anyone. The powers then grew to maximum and the Autobots acted quickly. Brainstorm acted even quicker, ruching as far as he could and snagging Alexis out of the space.

"Whoa! I don't know what Alexis did, but power levels are at max capacity. It's now or never." Wheeljack said.

"Now! Do it now!" Ultra Magnus said.

Wheeljack hit the startup sequence while Brainstorm and Triage checked on Alexis. Sam, Daniel and Verity rushes into the room to check on her just as the light brightened to nearly blinding levels. The system whirred to life as the five inert Technobots appeared to convulse. Several lights blew out but the power levels didn't drop out this time. Sparks jumped out from the system but the power remained stable throughout the chaos. After several minutes of madness, Wheeljack and Highbrow shut everything down.

Elita One, Cerebros and Carly arrived on the scene and almost walked into a fog. "What in the Pit happened here?"

"Our communications went haywire for a few moments before coming back online." Cerebros said.

Rattletrap pointed at Wheeljack and Highbrow and said, "Uh, blame them."

Just as the discussions were beginning, five shadows started to rise up behind the smoke that filled the room. The Autobots instinctively armed themselves. One of the shadows approached slowly, followed by the others. Alexis was starting to recover and was just in time to see the shadows emerge from the smoke. The first to emerge was Scattershot, and he was flanked on his left by Afterburner and Nosecone. Flanking his right side were Lightspeed and Strafe. All of them appeared confused as to their surroundings but they weren't a threat.

Then Scattershot asked an all important question. "Okay, what'd we miss?"

* * *

Author's Note: That ends it for this particular chapter as we near the conclusion of Part I. Things aren't looking good for the Autobots in the future, while Alexis learns that she's actually half Human and half Cybertronian. The question is who created her? Well, Part II might see the return of an old enemy of the Autobots. Plus, the Technobots are back. Yay! Leave a review and I'll be back soon. Peace!


	20. Judgment Day Pt I

Disclaimer: First thing's first, Happy Memorial Day. Now, I've feel as if I've had an epiphany of sorts. You've read about me always having to deal with Writer's Block and how it's always a pain in the butt that prevents me from getting things done. But after the rushed debacle of Game of Thrones Season 8, maybe having Writer's Block isn't such a bad thing. Maybe it's God's way of telling me to take my time and think about what I want to write down. Or maybe I'm just a little crazy... which isn't really far off.

Anyway, I don't own the right to Transformers of course. Enjoy.

* * *

Chapter XX

 _(Future Timeline)_

The narrowness of the corridor proved to be an advantage for the three Autobots. They unleashed everything they had as the Chimeras tried to push forward. One by one, the Chimeras fell dead atop one another. But more of them climbed over the piles and continued to push ahead. The Autobots kept shooting, even slicing any Chimeras lucky enough to get close. This was suicide run, but it hardly mattered to the Chimeras given their near lack of sentience. They weren't the worst problem.

Hotrod looked up to see the Flamewar wasn't making any effort to move. She was clearly staying back, letting her Chimeras do the dirty work. The brief distraction nearly cost Hotrod as a Chimera closed on him. Arcee acted fast and sliced the Chimera in half. Hotrod quickly returned the by blasting another Chimera in its face. Brainstorm wiped up two more machines, but the Chimeras were starting to make headway. The three Autobots were being pushed back step by step.

"We can't hold them off forever." Arcee shouted over the sounds of laser fire.

"We have to. Flamewar wants Optimus and Megatron, so we've got to keep them away for as long as possible."

"Just keep shooting. Maybe we'll get lucky and hit Flamewar." Hotrod claimed, inwardly knowing it was easier said than done."

Flamewar stepped along as her minions fell around, shouting to the Autobots, "All your doing is delaying the inevitable. I will reach Optimus Prime and Megatron and I will kill them."

Optimus Prime carried Megatron into the control room as the lights flickered on and off. Megatron collapsed to the floor and Optimus has to help him back up, but he collapsed again. With no choice, Optimus Prime sat Megatron against the nearest wall. He checked the open wound inflicted by Flamewar. It was leaking badly. It wouldn't be long before Megatron eventually shut down, and both of them knew it.

Megatron grabbed Optimus Prime's forearm and said weakly, "Go, Optimus. Get back out there and fight like I know you can."

"I will not leave you here to die, Megatron." Optimus said.

"I don't need you to coddle me, Optimus. I'm already dead, but your Autobots… they need their leader. They need their… Prime." Megatron struggled to speak.

Optimus Prime could bear to watch Megatron die in front of him, but he couldn't leave his Autobots to fight allow. He had to make a choice. "If not for all our constant battles, we could have been brothers."

"We already are brothers, Optimus. Til all… are one."

Those were Megatron's final words before his optics dimmed completely. His frame turned gray and his was gone, offline. Optimus could do nothing but place his hand on the shoulder of Megatron and bow his head in silence. The moment didn't last long once a heavy rumble rocked the room, forcing Optimus back to reality. His Autobots were still out there fighting. They needed him out there, and Optimus knew what had to be done. His stood up tall and prepared his rifle, but he took one last look at the deceased Megatron.

"Til all are one… brother." Then Optimus Prime stormed back out into the corridor, ready to fight.

The three Autobots continued to hold the line against the Chimeras as they kept coming. They were however getting closer with each moment that passed, often coming within arm's length of one of the Autobots. Hotrod blasted one Chimera that nearly attacked Arcee, and Arcee returned the favor for Hotrod. Brainstorm then blasted another Chimera that was trying to pounce on him before Hotrod finished it off. More Chimeras pushed forward and it became more apparent that the Autobots would be overwhelmed.

A sudden blast of laser fire whizzed passed the Autobots and struck one the Chimeras in the face. The Autobots looked behind themselves and saw Optimus Prime charging forward, launching an onslaught of laser fire. Each blast was on point, striking one Chimera after another before Optimus regrouped with the Autobots.

"Optimus, what are you doing? Where's Megatron?" Hotrod asked.

Optimus landed another blast on one more Chimera before he replied, "Megatron has fallen. We have to avenge him and he very Transformer we've lost."

"Flamewar wants you. You have to leave. We can hold them off." Brainstorm said.

"No, Brainstorm. We fight together. We stand together and if it comes down to it, we fall together."

After a moment's pause, Hotrod said, "Then til all are one."

"Til all are one." – "Til all are one." Arcee and Brainstorm repeated.

Optimus Prime stood up followed by his fellow Autobots, ready to make their last stand. "Til all are one."

Across from the Autobots and standing the rabid Chimeras, Flamewar could be seen smirking. "Finally…"

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Blitzwing wasn't about to give up so easily. The _Harbinger_ had only the most minimalistic Of crew complement. Shockwave was on the bridge with Skullcrusher, Wingspan and Pounce. Megatron and the DJD were on Earth. No one else was on the ship to watch him, so Blitzwing was hard at work on getting out of his cell. Maybe he should've been thankful that Dreadwing wasn't thorough in removing anything he could use, but Blitzwing made use of one particular item to get free.

Using a small apparatus jutting from his index finger, he was able to reach beyond the laser grid to the console on the other side. Blitzwing still had to reach his forearm out, and the laser cut into his armor. But the pain was worth it. He found the right switch to shut down the grid, and then briefly checked his forearm for injuries. The damage was minimal at best, but he didn't have time to waste. He peered around the corner of his open cell for any approaching patrol before he made a break for the hanger bay.

"Shockwave, there's been a breach in the cell block." Pounce said.

"One of the cells have been disabled." Wingspan added.

Shockwave, who was seated in the Captain's chair, stood up from it and coldly concluded, "It is Blitzwing."

"How'd he get out?" Wingspan wondered aloud.

"Want me to hunt him down?" Skullcrusher asked.

But Shockwave was already near the exit and without even turning, he said, "Maintain is he Harbinger's orbit, Skullcrusher. I will handle Blitzwing personally."

Blitzwing made it to the hanger bay without difficulty. He stayed cautious all the same, not wanting to take any chances of being caught in his escape attempt. He opened the bay doors but had to wait for them to open. He periodically looked toward the exit back out into the corridor to make sure no one was approaching. But just as the bay doors were completely opened, Blitzwing took a shot to his shoulder that sent him to the floor. He looked up and Shockwave was there.

"Your attempt to escape from the ship is illogical." Shockwave said as he aimed his arm cannon at Blitzwing.

"Aw, take your logic scrap and shove it up your aft, Shockwave." Blitzwing said and quickly transformed to his tank mode.

He fired a single volley toward Shockwave, but Shockwave merely leaned to one side. The laser blast sailed passed Shockwave and hit the wall behind him, and then he returned fire. His shot hit the floor in front of Blitzwing, forcing him to transform back his robot form, but he quickly transformed to his jet form and fired a rocket. This time, Shockwave had to move out of the way of the projectile, giving Blitzwing the chance to fly out of the hanger bay.

Shockwave rose back to his feet and casually walked near the edge of the bay doors. He fired a series of shots, with only one striking Blitzwing on his way down. Blitzwing still managed to evade the other shots and Shockwave, knowing Blitzwing was out range. Instead, Shockwave closed to hanger bay doors and started walking back into the corridor.

* * *

Volcanicus continued to battle Devastator even as Bruticus joined in the fight. Bruticus managed to land a hit that dropped Volcanicus to one knee, but he managed to get back up and fight back. But then Devastator attacked Volcanicus from behind and brought him back down. Volcanicus continued to back up and fight, but now Devastator and Bruticus ganged up on him. They beat Volcanicus back and forth between themselves, but Volcanicus continued to fight back. Still, he was outnumbered two to one and Bruticus and Devastator managed to bring him to both knees. They continued pounding away at Volcanicus only to stop so as to mock him.

"VOLCANICUS NOT SO TOUGH NOW!" Devastator said.

"LET FINISH HIM OFF!" Bruticus replied, and he prepared to do just that.

But just as the two Decepticon combiners set about the task, a pair of high speed jets flew in and took a series of shots at Bruticus before he new what was happening. Devastator didn't have time to react accordingly when three ground vehicles arrived and assaulted his lower base. Leading the newly rebuilt Technobots, Scattershot hammered Bruticus with rapid fire shots to his face while Strafe added to the assault. At the same time, Lightspeed, Afterburner and Nosecone kept Devastator off balance. But after much difficulty, the two combiners were able to push the Technobots back and forcing them to regroup.

"I'm pretty we made them mad." Nosecone said.

"Well, it's our first cycle. Of course, they're going to be ticked off." Strafe replied.

"We can take 'em. "Afterburner declared.

"What's the plan of attack, Scattershot?" Lightspeed asked.

Scattershot looked back at Volcanicus was getting back up and replied, "Let's even the playing field. Technobots: UNITE!"

Like clockwork, the Technobots started the process of combining. Soon enough, Compton stood tall and offered his hand to Volcanicus, but Volcanicus knocked it away and got up on his own. "VOLCANICUS DON'T KNOW YOU, VOLCANICUS DON'T NEED HELP."

"NAME: COMPUTRON. ANALYSIS: TWO ON ONE ODDS NECESSITATED IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE," Computron stayed as Bruticus and Devastator rose up again. "CONCLUSION: TWO COMBINERS INCREASES CHANCES OF SUCCESS."

"SHUT UP AND FIGHT!" Volcanicus demanded and he and Computron charged Devastator and Bruticus. The four combiners collided.

Meanwhile, Windblade noticed the fight between the Autobot and Decepticon combiners. She cracked a small, relieved smile at the return of the Technobots. Her small feeling of elation was short lived when Clench came for her again. She fired at her pursuer as he came before he fired back, resuming the chase. At the same time, Optimus Prime and Megatron continued to clash in the sky, but neither of them could gain an advantage. Every strike they attempted to land was cancelled out by either the Star Saber or the Skyboom Shield, but Megatron had his energon mace. He used it to gain only a slight edge, but Optimus Prime frequently batted the mace away. Optimus Prime returned the favor with his laser rifle, taking any available shots at Megatron at any given opportunity. Megatron used the Skyboom Shield to deflect the shots before he returned fire with his fusion cannon. They were at a stalemate and paused in midair.

"For the last time, Optimus. The prototype is mine to do with as I wish, so stand down or be eradicated." Megatron demanded.

"That will not happen, Megatron, not with the future as we know it at stake." Optimus Prime declared.

"Such a shame then, Prime, that you won't be around for the future I have planned." Megatron declared before he moved in for the kill.

But before he could close the distance between himself and Optimus Prime, a sudden shower of lasted shots rained down toward Megatron. He looked up and saw the jet form of Blitzwing flying straight toward him. Megatron opened fire with his cannon, and the distraction gave Optimus Prime an opening to fly right toward his rival. With the Star Saber in hand, Optimus Prime took a swing at Megatron. He struck Megatron's cannon and cleaved the barrel in half before Blitzwing rammed into him. Megatron went falling toward the forest below and seemed to disappear under the trees, although he only hit the ground hard and dropped the Skyboom Shield on impact. Optimus Prime took a moment to regroup while Blitzwing transformed and confronted the Autobot leader.

"Don't get used to it, Prime." Blitzwing said.

Optimus was about to respond when he saw Windblade still in her dogfight with Clench. "Blitzwing, assist Windblade."

On the ground, Megatron recovered just in time to seeing Blitzwing jetting away. He then glanced at Optimus Prime, who glanced back at him. With a near animalistic bellow, Megatron launched back into the sky. Optimus Prime saw Megatron coming for him and charged forward. The two rivals collision once more.

Windblade couldn't seem to shake Clench as he kept shooting at her. "Somebody get Clench off of me."

As if on cue, Blitzwing came in behind Clench and starting firing on him from behind. Rather that bank off, Clench stayed on Windblade. He couldn't fire this time with Blitzwing firing on him, but he remained on Windblade. That was until Windblade suddenly broke hard right, and Clench flew right passed her. Quickly joining Blitzwing and they both fired on Clench. Clench transformed and fired back them, forcing them to transform and return fire. Blitzwing managed to land a direct him to Clench's shoulder and Windblade blasted him out of the sky and to the ground.

Windblade looked to Blitzwing dumbfounded and Blitzwing said, "What're you looking at?"

"Your supposed to die on the _Harbinger_." Windblade said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

It all suddenly came together for Windblade; the return of the Technobots, Blitzwing's escape from captivity. "The future's changing. We still have a chance."

"Uh, whatever," Blitzwing said just as he noticed Clench coming up from the ground. "Go, I've got this."

Windblade didn't hesitate. She transformed and jetted toward the facility, managing to avoid the attacks from Clench. She banked right to avoid him and he jetted passed her, moving toward Blitzwing instead. Windblade continued on toward the facility and along the way, she noticed Volcanicus and Computron taking the fight to Devastator and Bruticus. She saw Devcon fighting Tarn as well as the rest of the Autobots fighting the rest of the DJD. Up above, Optimus Prime and Megatron continued their battle. But one fight caught her attention more than most.

Sideswipe continued his ferocious fight with Dreadwing, but neither of them held the advantage for long. Each of them landed hard hits but neither backed down. But ultimately, Dreadwing gained the upper hand and managed to get Sideswipe down to a knee. Sideswipe still fought hard, landing a few hits. It still wasn't enough and Dreadwing had Sideswipe pinned to the ground. Dreadwing deployed a sword and pointed the tip at Sideswipe's face.

"Now you'll die screaming, just like your brother." Dreadwing spat.

Sideswipe coldly replied, "Don't miss."

Dreadwing reared back and prepared to plunge his sword through Sideswipe, but he was suddenly blasted back by a concussive blast from Windblade. Windblade sustained the attack to push Dreadwing back, allowing Sideswipe time to recover and get back up to his feet. He deployed his own gun and opened fire on Dreadwing, landing a series of shots on him until one shot dropped him to a knee. Another shot struck Dreadwing directly on the right side of his face. This dropped him to the ground but it didn't kill him, and Windblade and Sideswipe finally halted their assault.

Dreadwing started to get back up, and the damage to his face was ever evident. "Is that all you've got?" he snarled before quickly deploying his gun.

Sideswipe was quicker on the draw, firing a single shot that struck Dreadwing's gun and his right hand… and blew them both off. Dreadwing felt the sting of pain as Sideswipe snapped, "You wanna end it, Dreadwing? Let's end it."

But Dreadwing recoiled and replied, "This isn't over, Autobot." Then he launched into the air and flew away.

Sideswipe wanted to chase after Dreadwing but Windblade stopped him and said, "You'll get your chance, Sideswipe. We've still got a future to save."

* * *

"Where are we?" Silas desperately asked.

"We're at 89%, sir." Said one of the scientists.

Silas was done waiting, telling the scientist, "Activate the prototype."

"But sir, it's only at 89%. We've got no idea if the Chimera will be entirely stable."

Silas knocked the scientist out of his chair and worked the console. "I want that damn machine online now. I'll do it myself if I have to."

Doing it himself was exactly what Silas was intending. He frantically worked the console, but pushed the right buttons. The systems started whirring to life and in the expansive room below, the Flamewar prototype seemed to start twitching. Then the lights shorted out as a dozen electrical currents jolted back and forth around the prototype. The scientists that worked around the prototype backed away as the arms and legs started to move. The chassis arched up as if the machine was having a seizure. Then the optics lit up and seemed to dart to and fro, as if trying to survey its surroundings. Silas had only just come down from the upper lab, just in time to watch Flamewar sit up. He was in awe of his creation, even as a small group of soldiers arrived with their guns trained on Flamewar. Silas quickly waved the soldiers off and all seemed well… until something happened that he didn't expect.

"What… is this?" Flamewar asked in confusion.

One of the soldiers worriedly asked, "Sir, is that thing supposed to talk?"

 _No, it isn't._ Silas thought, but he wasn't about to tell the soldiers that. "Everyone stay calm, stay cool."

The soldiers were anything but relaxed as Flamewar stared at her hands. "My hands… My face… my entire body…"

"Beller…"

Flamewar heard that before. It was hers, and she looked at the man who spoke it out loud. "Col. Bishop? What is this?"

Silas took a step forward as Flamewar grew more agitated. "I need you to calm down, okay? Your Human body was too badly damaged, but we were able to save you mind and consciousness. We had to transfer both into this prototype."

Flamewar got up and stumbled around, trying to get her bearing with her new legs. In doing so, she lost her footing and tumbled and only managed to put her hands out to break her fall. The action made the soldiers under Silas' command raise their guns once more, but Silas quickly waved them off. Flamewar rose back up to her feet, struggling to get them under her. She managed to stabilize herself and took a step forward. Then she took another step followed by another. Flamewar appeared to be looking for something within the testing area and then stopped near the windows to the lab above. She could see her reflection in the window, red optics glaring back at her. It became apparent, the full scope of what had been done to her. Josie Beller was no more. She backed away from her reflection and looked at Silas, who outwardly remained calm but may have been shaking the inside.

"What have you done?" Flamewar asked.

Silas now put his hands up and calming replied, "Beller…?"

Then Flamewar angrily shouted, "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?"

* * *

Author's Note: That puts an end to this chapter and looks like all Hell's 'bout to break loose. Leave a few reviews and I'll be back soon with the next chapter. Peace out and Happy Memorial Day.


	21. Judgment Day Pt II

Disclaimer: So I'm going to skip the usual witty one-liners and take it straight into the action. Of course I don't the Transformers rights... or a time machine or even an Infinity Gauntlet like Thanos. That'd be so cool... ok, I'll shut up now.

* * *

Chapter XXI

 _(Present Timeline)_

Windblade froze up as she saw the flashing through the facility's skylight. This prompted Sideswipe to halt and look back at her as she lamented, "We're too late. Flamewar is online."

Sideswipe looked at the flashes of light and then back at Windblade, quickly rushing to her. "You said if we can destroy Flamewar, the future changes, right?"

Windblade hesitated briefly before replying, "That was the plan."

"Then we've still got a chance, so let's get in there and kill that thing." Sideswipe said.

Windblade gave a nod and she and Sideswipe started to make their move. A sudden boom sounded from above and the two Transformers looked at an object approaching fast. It looked like a ship, but moving too fast be anything larger than the _Harbinger_. It was almost within range of the facility when it unexpectedly transformed. It quickly became apparent that the ship was Shockwave, and he appeared to wearing heavy armor with four additional laser blasters, two on either side.

Sideswipe and Windblade didn't have time to process this new development before Shockwave opened fire on them. They fell back toward the forest, ducking behind a pair of trees. Shockwave moves forward while maintaining his attack, leaving Windblade and Sideswipe pinned down. Branches and bushes were being blasted away around them but Shockwave didn't cease fire for a moment. Sideswipe looked over at Windblade and almost got hit by a stray shot.

"Did you know he could do that?" he asked over the attacks.

Windblade replied, "No. Did you?"

"No!" Sideswipe replied back.

"We've got to get in that building." Windblade shouted over laser fire.

"No, you have to get in that building. I'll draw Shockwave's fire, buy you some time." Sideswipe shouted back.

"Are you kidding? You'll get shredded to pieces." Windblade replied.

"We'll all be screwed if Flamewar isn't destroyed. So let's get this done."

Shockwave finally ceased fire and took a step forward without speaking a word. He waited patiently for something to occur, rearming his weapons. A rocket suddenly shot forth and Shockwave sidestepped it. When he turned back around, Sideswipe was driving straight at him at top speed. Sideswipe slammed into Shockwave to knock him down, quickly transforming and rushing with sword in hand. Shockwave was upright and quickly sidestepped the first few slashes that Sideswipe threw at him. Something was wrong; Shockwave wasn't fighting back.

Then the reason became apparent when Windblade launched into the air, but Shockwave didn't appear to notice. Except he did! When he blocked one of Sideswipe's attacks, one of Shockwave's blasters pivoted and fired at Windblade. Windblade took a hit her right wing turbine and she fell to the ground hard. The impact damaged the left turbine, leaving Windblade defenseless. Sideswipe saw this and tried to intervene but Shockwave knocked him aside before stalking Windblade.

"It is illogical to believe you can stop the acquisition of the prototype. The Decepticons will prevail." Shockwave claimed, and he aimed all of his weapons down at Windblade.

But before he could take the shots, he was fired upon from above. Blitzwing was coming in fast and fired a missile. Shockwave moved clear while Sideswipe ran in and grabbed Windblade. They tumbled out of the way of the missile just as it hit the ground and exploded. Blitzwing came down and transformed from his jet form to robot form and then to tank form. He fired a shot and sent Shockwave rolling out of the way.

He shouted to Sideswipe and Windblade, "I'll take care of Shockwave. You two get going."

Sideswipe helped Windblade upright and said, "C'mon, Windblade."

Windblade was clearly in pain at that point. "My wings are shot. I can't transform."

"Can you walk?" Sideswipe asked.

"Yeah."

"Then let's go and finish this."

Blitzwing rumbled passed Windblade and Sideswipe on his way toward Shockwave. He fired a volley that Shockwave easily sidestepped before firing back. His shots landed directly in front of Blitzwing, forcing him to transform to robot form and deploy a sword. Blitzwing charged forward and attacked with a series of sword swipes that Shockwave sidestepped with minimal effort. Shockwave then blocked one of the slashed and landed a single punch to Blitzwing's face. Blitzwing was pushed back and dropped to a knee, the punch dazing him.

Shockwave stalked toward him and aimed his many laser at the former Decepticon, but Blitzwing transformed to his jet form and flew out of reach. He banked and started a return run, launching a pair of rockets at Shockwave. Shockwave fired his laser at the rockets and detonated them in mid flight, and then fired on Blitzwing. Blitzwing managed to evade a few shots but one landed across his right wing. He quickly returned to the ground, transforming back to his tank form. He fired a volley but Shockwave sidestepped it before transforming into a spacecraft like form.

Blitzwing returned to robot mode and looked on in surprise as Shockwave fired a blast. The blast hit the ground behind Blitzwing and sent him tumbling down. Shockwave returned to his robot form and stalked toward the fallen Blitzwing. Standing over Blitzwing, Shockwave aimed his primary arm cannon as Blitzwing looked up at him.

"Your betrayal of the Decepticon was…"

"Illogical. Yeah, I know. Just get it over with." Blitzwing said in defiance.

Shockwave prepared to fire his shot when an assault of bullets suddenly got his attention. He spun around and saw Spike Witwicky of all beings with a rifle. Spike sustained his attack, but Shockwave simply brushed it off. Blitzwing grabbed Shockwave's leg only for Shockwave to kick him away. Spike still kept shooting until he ran out of bullets. Shockwave soon towered over Spike, who stood definitely against him.

"That was most illogical, Human." Shockwave said.

"Not if it was a distraction." Spike replied.

A motor was heard and Hotrod suddenly came around in vehicle form and raced full speed at Shockwave. Shockwave reacted a split second too late and Hotrod slammed into him, knocking the Decepticon scientist to the ground. Hotrod quickly transformed to his robot form and opened fire on Shockwave, and Shockwave took several direct hits before he fired back. Then Jazz races into fray, firing his grappling hook and pulling hard on Shockwave's cannon. Bumblebee and Arcee then raced in and sent Shockwave tumbling to the ground.

The four Autobots and Spike gather and faced down Shockwave. "The next move is all yours, Shockwave." Jazz said.

"Choose logically." Arcee said mockingly.

Shockwave assessed the situation and concluded the he obvious. "The Decepticons shall triumph. Megatron shall have the prototype."

A blast rocked Shockwave, and Blitzwing stood up. "Oh shut up!"

Outnumbered, Shockwave transformed and retreated into the sky, and Bumblebee quipped, "Something tells me that Megatron's not going to be happy."

"I think that goes without saying, Bee," Hotrod replied before he approached Blitzwing. "So, I guess this means you're an Autobot."

"You brand me and I'll blast you, Auto-brat."

"I missed you too, Blitzwing." Hotrod quipped.

"Shut up." Blitzwing coldly snapped.

Meanwhile, Sideswipe and Windblade got to the front gate of the facility but the gate was sealed. "So how do we get inside?" Windblade asked.

Sideswipe armed his shoulder-mounted rocket and let it loose; the rocket hit its mark and blew the gate wide open. "There's always the direct approach." Sideswipe said.

Windblade stood befuddled and replied, "Okay, that works."

"You know for someone from the future, you didn't think that one through." Sideswipe quipped just as he and Windblade heard gunfire inside.

* * *

The soldiers unloaded everything in their arsenal on Flamewar as she went on a rampage through the facility. Silas was fighting alongside his soldiers, taking every shot he had against his own creation. Flamewar seemed to brush off the assault and threw a chunk of machinery at Silas. Silas and most of his men managed to get clear, but two of them weren't so fortunate. They regrouped and went back to shooting the unstable Flamewar. She screamed in protest and kicked another piece of machinery into the air. The chunk landed on and crushed another soldier before Flamewar suddenly formed a blaster from her right arm, briefly stunning her.

Silas quickly signaled a fallback as Flamewar fired a shot, vaporizing one more soldier and a pair of scientists unlucky enough to be in the crossfire. She fired another shot that killed more soldiers and scientists, and Silas signaled a retreat. Flamewar kept shooting at anything or anyone that moved. She finally stopped to assess the situation, but she became more enraged when she saw that Silas was nowhere to be seen alive or dead.

"Silas? Come out here and get what's coming to you," she shouted. "SILAS!"

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

The Autobots fought and fought and fought against the Chimeras. Their weapons fire tore through the horde, shredding bits and pieces from them. But the Chimeras kept coming, and they repeatedly managed to close the distance against one of the Autobots. Brainstorm was the nearest to a Chimera and he was just barely able to take it down. Another Chimera tried to get to him and cut that one down as well. But his luck ran out when a third Chimera impaled him through the chassis. Still Brainstorm fought but it wasn't enough when another Chimera impaled him. Arcee was nearest to him but she couldn't get to him in time. Then the Chimeras came for her.

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Silas and the remaining soldiers still alive pushed from the facility and changed their mission managed to make to the wide open area of the facility. It was time to get the civilian scientists out of danger. They found several men and women ducking for safety and Silas rapidly gave his soldiers orders to escort the scientists out of the facility. The problem was the fighting outside between the Autobots and Decepticons, but Silas reasoned that the people within the facility had a slightly better chance outside. With Flamewar rampaging through the facility and stalking him specifically, Silas knew it was the only option.

He pulled one soldier aside and told him, "Get these people to the trees, away from the fighting."

"But sir…" the soldier tried to say, but Silas took his rifle and then grabbed his uniform collar.

"I gave you an order, soldier. Go!"

Without waiting for another protest, Silas ran back down the way he came with his troops. But no soon had gotten close to the doors did Flamewar crash through the wall nearby. Silas reverses course and ran for cover, but Flamewar saw him and fired a few shots. By sheer luck, Silas managed to avoid the shots and fired back with rifle. Flamewar was only briefly distracted but exceptionally annoyed, and she lost track of Silas as a result.

"You can't hide from me, Silas. I will hunt you down."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Arcee pushed back against the Chimeras with ruthless intent, using both her melee and ranged weapons to full effect. The Chimeras still kept coming for and Optimus Prime and Hotrod, even climbing over the dead husk of Brainstorm. Any that came close enough were quickly cut down by Arcee. Those that were just out reach were blasted into pieces. Still, they kept coming for the three Autobots. Arcee was closest, and she fought off the Chimeras until one of them finally got to her. It stabbed her in the leg and dropped her, but Arcee still fought. Another Chimera went for the kill before Hotrod came forward and blasted its head off.

As one more Chimera came close, Hotrod shot that one in the chassis multiple times. Another Chimera tried and failed to get close and Hotrod shot it dead. But it was a distraction when Flamewar lunged forth. She went to grab Hotrod but Arcee pushed him out of the way. Flamewar ultimately ran Arcee through with her blade. Hotrod had a look of shock on his face as Flamewar leered at him before pulling her blade out of Arcee. Then Flamewar let Arcee drop dead to the floor before looking up at Optimus Prime and Hotrod. The two remaining Autobots regrouped as Flamewar and her Chimeras closed in on them.

"You're going to pay for that, Flamewar." Optimus Prime angrily declared.

"No. You're the ones who're going to pay… for everything." Flamewar claimed.

"You're still hung up on what happen all those stellar cycles ago on the Golden Gate Bridge? That was your fault and you're still blaming us." Hotrod said.

"SHUT UP AND DIE, ALIENS!" And Flamewar charged forward.

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Flamewar stalked around the area for Silas. Silas was hiding behind a set of crates with his rifle in hand, waiting for chance to catch Flamewar off guard. As soon as her back was turned away from his position, Silas emerged and opened fire on her. Flamewar was caught and forced to defend herself against the gunfire. Silas also had a grenade handy and tossed it near Flamewar's feet. The projectile exploded and dropped Flamewar to a knee, giving Silas more opportunity to unload on her with all the gunfire he could muster.

But it was inevitable that his rifle would run out of bullets, and then Flamewar looked at Silas with even more murderous intent. She swung her hand back and struck Silas, sending him skidding across the floor and leaving him in pain. The she stood up and stalked toward him, preparing to blast at point blank range.

"No where left to run, Silas."

Silas tried to get up and run just Flamewar was about to fire. Then out of nowhere, Windblade tackled Flamewar to the floor. They tumbled over each other but it was Flamewar with the advantage. She was on top of Windblade but Sideswipe arrived and shot at her before she cause any damage. Flamewar backed away while Sideswipe helped Windblade up, and then they took the fight to Flamewar. In the confusion of the fight, Silas slipped to a corner out of harm's way. His right arm was dangling, a sure sign that it was broken.

"Dad!"

Silas looked to the source of the voice and saw Alexis and Spike rushing toward him. "Alexis, what're you doing here?" Silas asked.

"Getting you out. Besides, you've got some explaining to do." Alexis said.

"Time to go." Spike said, and he ushered Alexis and her stunned father out of the facility.

Windblade and Sideswipe kept Flamewar busy, and she only just noticed Silas escape. Enraged at this, Flamewar turned her wrath on Windblade and Sideswipe. She attacked both of them with a furious array of wild strikes. Sideswipe and Windblade dodged and weaves around the strikes and waited for an opening to retaliate. Sideswipe saw the first opening and struck back, landing a hard punch to Flamewar's face. Windblade took her shot and landed a flying kick to Flamewar's chassis. Flamewar was pushed back before she recovered and went back on the assault.

She caught another kick from Windblade and threw her down, but Sideswipe tackled Flamewar to the floor in turn. He pinned and tried to restrain her but Flamewar fought out and got back up. Sideswipe went for a punch but Flamewar caught it and landed a few blows of her own before throwing Sideswipe down. Windblade saw a chance to get back in the fight, landing a strong punch to Flamewar's face and staggering her. Pressing the advantage, Windblade landed a relentless string of hits and dropped Flamewar to a knee. Flamewar shocked herself when she deployed a blade but then took a wild slash at Windblade.

Windblade had to dodge more wild slashes from Flamewar before Sideswipe jumped back into the fray. He landed a kick to Flamewar's back to stagger her, giving Windblade a chance to land a hard punch to stagger Flamewar further. They started working together, bouncing Flamewar back and forth between them and not giving her a chance to fight back. Then they both landed a punch at the same time, dropping Flamewar to the floor. Windblade and Sideswipe regrouped as Flamewar started to get back up.

"Is that it? Is that all you've got?" Flamewar mocked.

Windblade looked at Sideswipe and replied, "Uh, I think we got more. You think we got more, Sideswipe?"

"Yeah, we got more." Sideswipe replied.

Flamewar grew even more enraged and deployed a second blade. She charged forward and started slashing relentlessly at Windblade and Sideswipe. She shifted her rage on Windblade, attacking her with enough fury to give Devastator pause. Windblade deployed her own blade and fought back, attempting to land a series of slashes on Flamewar. Flamewar managed to block the blows but a few managed to catch her. She missed a cut but kicked Windblade back, but then Sideswipe got involved with his own blade.

He went after Flamewar with fervor, attempting to land a series of slashes and slices. Flamewar blocked the attacked and countered with a few slices of her own, but it wasn't long before Windblade rejoined the fight. She fought alongside Sideswipe against Flamewar with a combined attack filled with slashes mixed with a few punches and kicks and even a shoulder tackle. Flamewar fought back with her two blades. She attacked with pure rage, but tempered enough to be precise.

Sideswipe and Windblade continued to fight back, working to keep Flamewar off balance. But they couldn't find the opening they needed to finish the fight, and Flamewar kept up her furious assault. Then there was an opening when Sideswipe tripped Flamewar and sent her to the floor. Windblade went for a finishing strike, but Flamewar blocked from the floor and tripped up Sideswipe. Then she kicked Windblade away before getting back up. Sideswipe moves on Flamewar with a few stabbing motions, but Flamewar avoided them and landed a straight punch to his face before throwing him across the length of the facility. Sideswipe crashed down and had a support beam fall on top of him, pinning him down.

"Sideswipe…" Windblade called out before Flamewar confronted her.

"You're next, bitch." Flamewar snapped.

Windblade whispered, "Scrap."

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

Only Optimus Prime and Hotrod remained to battle Flamewar and her Chimeras, and the Chimeras quickly swarmed the two remaining Autobots. Optimus and Hotrod fought back, cutting down several Chimeras in quick succession. They worked together on one occasion, with Hotrod setting up a few Chimeras while Optimus gunned them down. Other times, they had to separate. Optimus blasted a trio of Chimeras while Hotrod cut through another pair. But Flamewar stayed back, watching her machines swarm the two Autobots. Then she made her move.

Hotel saw her coming and broke off from the initial fight with Chimeras. Optimus Prime was holding his own against them, wiping them out one by one. Hotrod closed on Flamewar and immediately went on the attack, trying for a series of swipes and slashes. Flamewar easily avoided the attacks as they came and retaliated with some strikes of her own, and Hotrod blocked most of them. That was until one strike landed, cutting into Hotrod's left arm. He recoiled and checked the damage, which wasn't bad enough to slow him down. Regrouping, he went back on offense. He tried to land a strike on Flamewar, but she either deflected or avoided nearly every attempt.

Optimus Prime managed to take out the Chimeras he was fighting and saw Hotrod struggling against Flamewar. He went to aid Hotrod but another Chimera stood in his way, surprising and knocking him down. Hotrod saw this happened and went to rush Optimus, but Flamewar caught him and impaled him from behind. Optimus saw this all happen from the floor, and he watched in horror as Hotrod was hoisted up and then dropped back to the floor, dead.

"NO!" Optimus protested before more Chimeras swarmed around him and beat on him mercilessly as Flamewar looked on.

She approached Optimus Prime as the Chimeras held him by his arms, and she gloated, "Poor Optimus Prime. No Autobots or Decepticons left to save you. You're all alone."

* * *

 _(Present Timeline)_

Windblade crashed right through a concrete wall like it was cardboard, falling down to the floor in a heap. Flamewar stepped through the debris and stalked toward Windblade as she was getting back up. Windblade tried to fight back with a straight punch but Flamewar countered and drove her knee into Windblade's chassis. Flamewar landed several hard punches that rocked Windblade before dropping her to the floor again. Windblade instinctively tried to use her wing blasters but forgot about the damage done to them by Shockwave, and the brief hesitation allowed Flamewar to drive her own blade into Windblade's right shoulder. She twisted the blade, making Windblade scream in agony.

"How does it feel, huh? Everything you've done, all the pain you've caused… all of led up to this." Flamewar snarled and twisted the blade.

Windblade winced from the pain but still replied, "Stop this, Beller. Is this what Dylan Gould would've wanted?"

Flamewar twisted the blade again, making it hurt more before she bellowed, "Keep his name out of your mouth. He's dead because of your kind."

"Please…" Windblade begged amid the pain.

"You know, it's funny. Dylan didn't hate you aliens. He admired you. He admired what you could do, the advances that could've been made with you technology. Look at how you betrayed him. Well, now his admiration becomes your extinction."

"What about the Technobots? You created them, didn't you? "Windblade said.

"Only as a means to an end, and this is that end. Keep your robot eyes open, because I want you to see this coming." Flamewar said and pulled the blade out of the shoulder.

The motion caused Windblade's City Speaker function to activate, causing the lights to flicker on in the area. More lights turned in a separate room and as Flamewar raised her blade up for the killing blow, she looked into the other room. She then froze in place, suddenly unable to move. Laying on a table in the other room was her old Human body, still littered with cybernetics and well nearly charred beyond recognition. But Flamewar knew it was her body, who and what she used to be. She could also see her reflection in the window that separated the two areas. But Flamewar could only really see her broken Human body beyond the glass.

"It… it's me," she whispered to herself. She looked at her metallic hand and dropped to her knees. "Oh my God…"

Sideswipe managed to lift the metal beam off of him. He took a moment to gather himself before through the hole in the wall, and then he stopped short. Windblade was clearly wounded but alive and seated against the wall, but Flamewar was on her knees. Sideswipe drew his sword and rushed to Windblade, keeping Flamewar at bay by the tip of his weapon. Flamewar didn't seem to register the presence of Sideswipe, instead looking down at her shaking hands.

"Did I missing something?" Sideswipe asked, but Windblade didn't reply.

"This… this isn't me," Flamewar muttered to herself. "This isn't who I'm supposed to be. That's me… the real me."

Sideswipe looked back into opposite room and Josie Beller's charred remains. "Sweet Primus!"

"I can't…" Flamewar said and stood up, deploying a blaster.

"Sideswipe…!" Windblade said, drawing Sideswipe's attention to Flamewar.

"I can't… live like this," Flamewar said. Then she looked at Windblade and Sideswipe with defiance and declared, "I won't."

Then she put the blaster barrel under her chin and pulled the trigger. Windblade and Sideswipe were too late to stop Flamewar from vaporizing her own head. They watched the headless body crumple to the floor in a heap, and both were left in complete astonishment. Unbeknownst to both of them, Buzzsaw was perched atop the skylight above and recording every moment that occurred.

* * *

 _(Future Timeline)_

"This is the end for you, Optimus Prime." Flamewar said to the captive Autobot.

"Then make it worthwhile, Flamewar." Optimus Prime defiantly replied.

Flamewar reared back her blade while her Chimeras held Optimus tightly. At the last moment, Optimus pulled one of the Chimeras in front of him. The Chimera took the length of Flamewar's blade into its back, and Optimus fought off the other Chimera to break free. He backed away and quickly recovered his fallen rifle, blasting off another of Chimeras. Flamewar tossed away the unlucky Chimera that she killed and screamed in protest.

"DIE ALIEN!" Then she charged forward.

Optimus Prime readied his gun and said, "Til all are one." Then he charged forward.

Then as they closed in on each other, surrounded by Chimeras… there was nothing.

* * *

Author's Note: Well, that was a surprising ending. Sorry ahead of time (get it) if the ending seems somewhat rushed. I had more that I wanted to write for the present timeline but I decided to hold off until the next chapter. As for Shockwave's involvement, I depicted him using his Siege armor from the Siege: War For Cybertron toy line. I just think it looks cool. Anyway, the back and forth shifting between present and future was inspired by, you guessed it, _X-Men: Days Of Future Past_. Maybe a bit of _Avengers: Endgame_ as well.

So that said, the battle appears to be over so please leave a few reviews and I'll shall return with the final chapter for Edge Of Oblivion - Pt. I... and yes, there is a Pt. II. Also yes, I do like using Roman numerals.


	22. Victory's Price - End Of Pt I

Disclaimer: So here we are now at the very end of the story... well, Part I anyway. I'm going to hold off on the witty one-liners and move on to the finally chapter. Prepare for some reveals... especially a shocker if you haven't figured it out yet. Or if you have figured it out, thank you so much for not spoiling anything.

I don't own Transformers.

* * *

Ch. XXII

 _(Present Timeline)_

Megatron was unaware of what had transpired in the facility, instead still battling against Optimus Prime in the sky above. Computron and Volcanicus continued to dominate Devastator and Bruticus while the rest of the Autobots and Decepticons continued the fighting. Megatron and Optimus Prime struggled against each other's respective weapons, the Skyboom Shield and the Star Saber. Neither could gain a decisive edge over the other. They pulled away from each other and Megatron was about to carry on the fight when he received a sudden call from the _Harbinger_.

" _Wingspan to Megatron. Come in…"_

"Not now, Wingspan." Megatron snapped before he pushed forward to fight Optimus Prime again.

" _But Megatron, we've gotten a visual confirmation from Buzzsaw. That Chimera thing has been destroyed."_ Pounce chimed in.

Megatron halted and quickly responded, "What?!"

Meanwhile, Optimus Prime wondered why Megatron wasn't attacking when he received a call. "Optimus Prime here…"

" _Optimus, it's Sideswipe. Flamewar is dead but Windblade is wounded."_

"Understood. Get Windblade somewhere safe, Sideswipe," Optimus replied before he addressed Megatron. "It's over, Megatron. Call off your Decepticons. Do not dare feign surrender this time."

Megatron glared at Optimus and stated, "Last time I feigned surrender, you died. What makes you think this time will end differently?"

"This time, I will not hesitate. Last chance… pull your troops out. Now!" Optimus Prime vehemently demanded.

Megatron wasn't stupid and he made the call. "Decepticons; abort mission. I repeat; abort mission."

" _But Megatron, we can still take the Autobots out."_ Dreadwing replied.

"That was an order, Dreadwing. Abort mission and return to the _Harbinger_ ," Megatron replied back before turning to Optimus Prime. "This isn't over, Prime." Then Megatron transformed and retreated.

On the ground, Devastator and Bruticus disengaged into their individual robots and evacuated. Volcanicus wanted to give chase but Computron stopped him before they too disengaged into the Dinobots and Technobots respectively. After the Constructicons and Combaticons retreated, Dreadwing and the DJD broke off their fights with the Autobots and retreated. Tarn took one last look at Devcon before departing. As the Decepticons departed the battlefield, Sideswipe escorted the wounded Windblade from the facility and watched the Decepticons leave. Optimus Prime eventually landed on the ground as the rest of the Autobots gathered, along with Blitzwing. Spike and Alexis approached with Silas restrained between them.

Afterburner of the Technobots shouted, "WOO! Too hot for ya, 'cons?"

"Yeah, we sent those Decepti-creeps running." Scattershot added with enthusiasm.

Optimus approached Scattershot and said to him, "It's good to have you and your team back, Scattershot."

"Optimus, Flamewar destroyed herself. I guess she couldn't cope with seeing her Human body." Windblade informed Optimus.

Devcon approached Optimus and added, "Sounds like she got a bad case of PTSD."

"So does that mean we changed the future? No more Chimeras?" Bumblebee asked.

"It would appear so, Bumblebee. I'd say mission accomplished." Optimus Prime said.

Windblade suddenly began feeling uneasy, and Sideswipe said, "Take it easy, Windblade. We're going to get you fixed up."

But Windblade still felt uneasy. "Sideswipe, something's happening…"

Sam stumbled into the infirmary where Daniel and Verity were with Triage. The first terrible thought that went through her mind was some kind of bizarre sickness that inflicted her. There was a shortness of breath and a wobble in her step. Daniel was the first to notice something was wrong with Sam and he started to walk toward her. Then Verity noticed as well but didn't immediately react… not until Sam collapsed in Daniel's arms.

"Sam, what is it? What's wrong?" Daniel asked, easing Sam to her knees.

Sam looked up and said, "Dad," It was the first she addressed Daniel that way, and it would be the last time. "I don't feel so good."

Windblade dropped to her knees with Sideswipe trying to steady her and Hotrod and Arcee helping him. Then they began to see what was the cause of Windblade's sudden unease. To their collective surprise, Windblade's arm appeared to be disintegrating. Little bits of glowing pieces broke away from Windblade and seemed to evaporate into nothing. The Autobots were powerless to do anything as the process accelerated and Windblade disintegrated further. She looked at Sideswipe, who was searching frantically for way to stop her from vanishing.

"Windblade, hang on. Just hang on. We can figure this out." he said in a state of panic.

"Sideswipe… it's okay." Windblade said almost assuredly, as if she was at peace with what was happening to her.

"No, it's not okay. I lost my brother and I can't lose you too." Sideswipe begged.

The disintegration process accelerated further and Windblade replied, "I'll be with you, Sideswipe."

Those were Windblade's last words to Sideswipe before she vanished completely. The he stunned silence was deafening among the Autobots as they watched Windblade disappear. Sideswipe still held his arm out where Windblade was, as if he was frozen in place. When he finally moved, he looked to Optimus Prime. Optimus was as speechless as the rest of the Autobots. Sideswipe looked back at his arms before dropping them to his knees. All there was about in that moment was silence.

* * *

Sam could see her hands slowing starting to disintegrate and she looked at Daniel and Verity. "I think… the future's been changed."

In a panic, Verity looks at Triage and said, "Triage, do something."

But Triage was unable to do anything, replying, "There's nothing I can do, Verity."

"Mom," Sam said, surprising Verity as she did Daniel. "It's okay."

"No it's not okay. We just found out you're our daughter." Verity said.

"I know, and I'm sorry that I never got to know you both better." Sam said as she began rapidly fading away.

Daniel then pulled Sam in an embrace and said, "We love you, Sam."

Sam felt a tear drop from her eye but still managed a smile before she said, "I wish… we had more t…." Then she was gone.

Verity could only grasp at the specs of glowing bits that used to be her daughter from the future. Daniel knelt down beside Verity while Triage stood in silence. Any wry comments or dry wit the Autobot doctor usually had at the ready now amounted to nothing. Verity managed a few light breaths of air as she look at Daniel. Then the tears began dropping from her eyes and she threw herself into Daniel's arm. Daniel tried to stay strong but it wasn't enough and he too started crying. Both of them knew that this was never supposed to happen.

* * *

Barely two days had passed since the incident at the M.E.C.H base. The organization itself had been disbanded and Silas had been incarcerated in a federal prison. Now, he was being usher along a long hallway by two security guards. Gone were his military fatigues, replaced by a white jumpsuit and shackles around ankles. He also had a cast on his right arm from the incident. Maybe it was good fortune that he wasn't being led down a supposed final walk and no priest came along to read him his last rites.

No, he was about to meet with Alexis for the first time since the incident. The guards sat him down at a random table and adjusted his shackles to prevent possible escape. Not that Silas planned to escape anyway because where would he have gone? He needed to face the music and that meant he needed to face Alexis. It wasn't long after that Alexis arrived, and Silas noted her right arm in a sling, much like him. She sat at the table across from him, staying at arms length and not saying a word.

Silas broke the awkward silence and said, "I heard that you quit that welding job. To be honest, I'm surprised you came to see me at all given what's happened lately."

Alexis was hesitant to reply before she said, "Seeing you was the last thing I wanted to do, but I got questions and you have answers."

Then she removed the sling and revealed her arm, now devoid of flesh. Silas was silent in the presence of the metallic appendage shimmering in the dim light of the room. He didn't appear shocked nor was he surprised at the appearance of the arm. Inwardly, Silas had a gut feeling that Alexis was going to eventually find out the truth. He knew she would've wanted answers, and Alexis wasn't going take 'no' as one of those answers.

Without waiting for Silas to start, Alexis asked point blank, "What the hell am I?"

Silas replied, "You're Cybertronian. But I suppose you already knew that."

"I needed to hear it from you. I assume that Mom knew about this." Alexis said.

"She helped me open the pod we found you in. Even then, you were… unstable."

"Unstable?"

"You almost killed us when we set you free. It took some doing but we were able to get you under control." Silas claimed, though he regretted his choice of words.

Alexis, for her part, ignored the last words and asked plain, "Why? You kept this from me for so long. Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

"Your mother and I agreed upon it. If the military ever got wind of your true nature, they'd have taken you away. We couldn't bear the idea of losing you." Silas admitted.

Alexis leaned back into her seat, flabbergasted by Silas' explanation. "You were trying to protect me? I'm not Human, not even your daughter. I'm just a robot in disguise."

"No, you _are_ my daughter. You may be from another world but that doesn't change how I feel about you or how your Mom felt. So yeah, I had to keep the truth from you to protect you, and it's eaten my alive for years. I'm sorry, Alexis. I'm so sorry." Silas said profusely.

Alexis had nothing, not a single word in response to Silas' confession. Given her true nature, it came as a surprise that she felt a tear drop from her eye. Her first instinct was to get up and walk away. Maybe she'd shout at Silas, yell at him rot in Hell or even go as far as put him through the table. She did none of those things. She only sat quietly and contemplated her next words carefully. Then Alexis leaned forward so Silas could register every word.

"My whole life, the last twenty two years, it's all been a lie. And yet, I don't blame you or Mom for it. I'm not happy about being lied to, but I understand that it was for the best of reasons. I also know what I have to do."

It didn't take Silas long to figure out Alexis' plan. "You're going to search for who created you."

Alexis nodded, "Yeah."

Silas reaches over and took Alexis' robotic hand in his Human one. "Whoever is responsible for you being this way can't be on Earth. My guess is they're on the Transformer's home world... on Cybertron."

"Then that where I have to go." Alexis said before rose up from her chair.

As she was leaving, Silas said, "Sari."

Misunderstanding, she replied, "You don't have keep apologizing."

"No. Sari; that's the name you Mom wanted for you. Sari Alexis Bishop."

Sari, huh? I like it. Thanks, Dad."

"I hope you find what you're looking for. I love you, Sari." Silas said.

Alexis… no, Sari, produced a small smile and replied, "I love you, too." Then she finally left, missing the tears drop from Silas' eyes.

* * *

Sari exited the prison with a surprising spring in her step. Just across from her, Brainstorm was waiting in his jet form and getting some attention from passing Humans. It actually made Sari smile as she approached her new Autobot friend. It was strange that she now knew she had more in common with the Transformers than she thought possible. Sari eventually entered the cockpit and went into deep consideration, and Brainstorm sensed it within moments.

"How'd it go with your Dad?" he asked.

"Surprisingly we'll all things considered. We can at least part on good terms." she replied.

"So what now, Alexis?" Brainstorm asked.

She smirked at Brainstorm's slight mistake and replied, "My real name is Sari, Brainstorm. As for what's next, I need to find out who created me. Dad suggested the answer might be on Cybertron, but I don't have a mean of getting there."

"Hm, the Ground Bridge can get us to Cybertron faster than just using a shuttle," Brainstorm said as his jet form lifted skyward. "Sari, huh? I like it."

Sari smiles and replied, "You and me both, buddy."

* * *

Sideswipe stood in the very same spot where Sunstreaker died to save him. The piece of rampart was long since repaired, but the sting was still there. He could head heavy metal footsteps approaching and glanced over his shoulder. Optimus Prime was the source of the steps and it hardly surprised Sideswipe. He went back to looking out toward the horizon and Optimus Prime joined him.

"How are you holding up, Sideswipe?" Optimus Prime asked.

Sideswipe gathered his thoughts for a moment. "I'm hanging in there. It's about the only thing I can do. How're Daniel and Verity doing?"

Now it was Optimus Prime gathering his thoughts. "Daniel and Verity are coping in their way. It is strange in a way, mourning the loss of your future offspring."

"I don't get it. We stopped M.E.C.H and averted the Chimera future. Why'd Windblade and Sam have to… disappear?" Sideswipe asked.

"Time can be an unpredictable aspect of existence, Sideswipe. But I do not believe that Windblade and Samantha are truly gone."

"How do you figure that?" Sideswipe asked.

"While time can be unpredictable, its flow is ever changing with divergent path leading to different outcomes. We may yet see our friends again, perhaps sooner than we believe."

With that, Optimus Prime left Sideswipe to his thoughts. He considered the words of his leader and friend, only to conclude the time was confusing. Yet Sideswipe felt a small pang of hope. Maybe Optimus was right; Windblade came from one possible future, but she was just one Windblade. So maybe there was still a chance that Windblade, or another version of her, could still exist. Sideswipe just wasn't sure if or when they'd meet again. Lost in his thoughts, Sideswipe was then startled by a sound like a sonic boom. He caught sight of an object in the distance falling from the sky.

"What the scrap…."

* * *

The object was falling fast and hard, smoke and fire billowing from the rear. It appeared to resemble a pod, but it had no significant markings. If it did, they were likely burned off from the fire. The pod continued its rapid descent until it finally hit the surface. The first crash sent the pod back into the air, albeit briefly before hitting the ground again. From that point, the pod slid across the ground and left a trail behind before it finally skidded to a halt. Fire and debris littered the area around the pod.

Soon after the pod's crash landing, Sideswipe raced to the scene. He quickly transformed upon arriving there and armed himself. There was no telling what he'd have to expect since the pod had no markings. Slowly, he approached the pod. The hatch flew off, causing Sideswipe to aim his gun at the pod. A hand emerged from within before the rest of the occupant staggered out of the pod. Sideswipe couldn't believe what he was seeing, but there was no denying the familiar face staring back at him.

The occupant, somehow and someway, was Windblade, and she looked at Sideswipe with confusion and said, "Uh, hi. Is this Earth?"

* * *

In the Earth year 1908, a mysterious explosion over the Podkamennaya Tunguska River flattened 770 miles of forest. The probable cause was either a massive air burst or a meteoroid. But those were speculated answers by scientists and the like. Joshua Joyce knew better. Days into his presence in the area and several kilometers below the surface, he could feel how close he was to his goal. Something had indeed fallen from the sky and flattened the land above, but he knew it wasn't a meteoroid or an air burst. He knew he was close.

In time, Joyce reaches his goal. Something was buried deep in the rock, and Joyce's highly advanced scanning device pointed right to it. He checked the holographic image, which appeared to resemble some sort of animal. It was one that appeared all the more menacing from the addition of pincer-like arms and an elongated tail with a hook-like blade at the tip of it. Joyce smirked at his discovery… or rediscovery.

"Finally found you, old friend. We have work to do. The Transformers took everything from us and now, we'll take everything from them."

* * *

 _(Epilogue)_

 _Hotrod couldn't shake the uneasy feeling that he wasn't alone. Walking down the halls of the city, he seemed off. He repeatedly turned around to see if anyone was nearby. Then came in the faint whisper that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere. Hotrod could've sworn hearing the whisper speaking his name… no his other name. The name of Rodimus. Then Hotrod dropped to the floor gripping his head in agony._

" _ **Rodimus**_ _…"_

" _Who… said that?" Hotrod said, but the pain pierced through his head. Then he look down at his reflection on the metal floor._

 _Sickly green eyes stared back at him. "_ _ **You… belong… to me now."**_

To Be Continued in **TRANSFORMERS: EDGE OF OBLIVION PT. II**

* * *

Author's Note: That's it for Part I. Time Travel's a tricky thing so bare with me if not everything makes sense. Anyway, the Chimera future has been everted but at the cost of Windblade and Sam, but a younger Windblade appears. To be honest, I feel like Sam was kind of useless for the most part. My bad. Alexis' real name is Sari and she is in fact Cybertronian, a little call back to _Transformers: Animated._ Joshua Joyce finds what he's been looking for and it's... something very bad. But it's not as bad as what Hotrod is about to endure. Don't spoil it. Just review.


	23. Edge Of Oblivion Pt II - The Titan Rises

Disclaimer: Well, that didn't take long... for once. So it has begun; Part II of Edge Of Oblivion is underway and it's gonna get real dicey real quick. Brace yourselves for the beginning of the end.

Just as always, you know...

* * *

TRANSFORMERS:  
EDGE OF OBLIVION PT II

Chapter I

Deep beneath the surface of Tunguska, the mysterious man named Joshua Joyce dug through the rock and dirt until he finally found what he was looking for. A large metal double door stood before him, surrounded by the rock face that Joyce cleared. Finding a console next to the door, Joyce moved his hand near it and his fingers disassembled. The tips connected to the console and small lights flickered on and off. The door opened moments later, and Joyce disconnected from the console.

He stepped into structure, squinting into the darkness of the hall as he walked. It was as if the structure was aware of his presence, because countless lights flickered to life. Joyce left a slight smirk from forming on his face as he continued on. Anyone else who'd ventured into the structure would've been lost, but Joyce seemed to know exactly where he was going. Eventually, he reached another much larger double door with a console next to it. Joyce connected to the console and the doors opened.

Joyce walked into a large room surrounded by several dormant computers. He approached the center most console, the only one that had an active screen. It appeared exactly like the previous holographic image; an insect-like animal with pincers and a tail. Joyce connected to the main computer and the systems activated like clockwork. Then the rest of the room lit up, screens and machinery whirred to life and the rumbling started. Joyce looked up and could see mechanical parts turning, shifting and changing. The structure started to move in an upward movement. Joyce took a deep breath and prepared for what he was about to do.

"I do this for my home. My people. My family."

* * *

Upon being brought into Autobot City, Windblade was debriefed by Optimus Prime. Sideswipe and Elita One were there along with Spike, Carly and Daniel. Verity was leaning against the far wall, arms crossed but unable to look at Windblade. Windblade saw Verity leering at her but couldn't figure out why she was getting such apparent resentment. So she focused on Optimus Prime's explanation. By the time he was done, Windblade was left even more bewildered by his words and tried to piece it all together.

"If I could physically throw up in my mouth, I probably would." she said.

"I recognize that everything you've been told seems impossible, but it's all true." Optimus assured Windblade.

Windblade considered his words and replied, "Okay, let's recap; you met a version of me from the future who came back in time to stop an army of killer robots from wiping out both Transformers and Humanity."

"Yes." Optimus Prime said.

"Then my future self succeeded in averting said future… only to vanish from existence." Windblade concluded.

"Technically, it was the catalyst of that future who averted it by killing herself but yeah, mission accomplished. Chimera future averted." Sideswipe said.

"Chimera?"

"That's what your future self called them." Elita One claimed.

"Okay, nice to know I died for something even if it's really confusing." Windblade quipped.

Verity suddenly lifted off the wall leaned against and spat, "Can you say the same about Sam?"

Windblade innocently asked, "Who's Sam?"

Verity angrily stormed off, but Daniel didn't immediately follow her. He turned to Windblade and explained, "A young woman named Samantha traveled back in time with the future you. It turned out that she was our daughter."

"Did she…"

"She was erased from existence before we ever had a chance to know her." Daniel said before he went after Verity.

Windblade had no words. She only felt remorse as she stood up and said, "All of this is just so crazy. I'm not sure how to react to any of it."

"I can not say we blame you. All the same, the Chimera Timeline has been changed and you're here now. We'd be honored to have you within the Autobot ranks." Optimus Prime said with a hand extended.

Windblade took only one moment to consider it before accepting the gesture from Optimus Prime. "I'm in."

* * *

"I'm out." Rattletrap said.

"Nobody was asking you, Rattletrap." Brainstorm replied.

Rattletrap didn't even look back from his duties to address Brainstorm when he said, "I'm aware of that, Brainy. That's why I'm sayin' I'm out, so you idiots don't drag me in."

"Yeah, having you involved wasn't on the agenda, you little cyber midget." Afterburner snapped.

This time, Rattletrap spun around and confronted the Technobot. "Say that again so's I can smack ya."

"Try it, twerp!"

"Save the fight for later, guys. We've got to get back to the task at hand." Scattershot said.

Brainstorm nodded and looked over to Sari as she studied the Ground Bridge. "So this Ground Bridge connects to Cybertron, right?" she asked.

"Yep. We have a sister structure on Cybertron connecting the two worlds thanks to Wheeljack. It'll get us there in no time flat without fail." Brainstorm said.

"Ya sure 'bout that, Brainy? It did bring those big down Dino-dodos here." Rattletrap mocked.

Lightspeed ignored Rattletrap' snickers and said, "You sound nervous, Sari. I'd of thought you'd be at least a little excited at the prospect of meeting your creator."

"Can you blame her, Lightspeed? She only found out about her true nature as a Cybertronian." Nosecone said.

"I'm not nervous to meet whoever built me. I'm just not sure I want to face them alone." Sari said.

"It's a good thing you won't be alone. I'm going with you." Brainstorm said.

"Seriously?"

"A lot of work went into your creation, Sari. I'm curious to see how much and if it's possible to apply it to an idea I've been considering." Brainstorm stated.

"I don't know if I should be flattered or insulted." Sari quipped.

"Probably both." Strafe joked.

"Brainstorm won't be the only one going with you, Sari. The Technobots will be going along as well." Scattershot said.

"You sure about that, Scattershot? Cybertron's uncharted territory for us and we were built on Earth." Nosecone said.

"I'm game." Afterburner exclaimed.

"Regardless of the circumstances, I think we owe to Sari to help help anyway we can. Think of it as thanks for her bringing us back." Scattershot said.

Now Sari was definitely flattered. "Thanks, guys. Nice to know I got friends to help me figure this out."

"Then it's settled. All that's got to be done is prep the Ground Bridge." Brainstorm said with enthusiasm.

Rattletrap quipped, "Yep, you're all gonna die."

* * *

Windblade wondered up to the ramparts where she found Daniel and Verity looking out over the horizon. Reluctantly, she willed herself over to the pair. She was unsure of what to say to them, even more so of how they would react. But Windblade sucked it up and approached them. Daniel looked up first and gave Windblade a subtle nod. Verity looked up and managed a small smile.

"Hey for what it's worth, I'm sorry about your daughter." Windblade said.

Verity nodded and replied, "It's okay. My bad for lashing out the way I did. It's just… rough, you know?"

"Yeah. We had no idea of who Sam really was when we first met her. But maybe it's for best in the long run."

Windblade knelt down and curiously asked, "How's that?"

"The future isn't ever really set in stone, so maybe we'll see Sam again." Daniel said, looking at Verity who smiled back at him.

"Well, I can't wait to meet her." Windblade said with her.

Verity chuckled when she suddenly caught movement out of the corner of her eye. She looked out toward the horizon several miles away from Autobot City and spotted something large. Impossibly large. Daniel caught it as well and Windblade eventually saw what they saw. She deployed an ocular visor to get a better look at the object, and what she saw filled her with uneasiness and dread.

"What is it, Windblade?" Verity asked.

"I… don't know. Windblade replied.

* * *

Spike was the first one to take note of something approaching the city. "Cerebros, come see this."

"What do you have, Spike?" Cerebros asked.

"I'm picking up an energy signature approaching from a few kilometers south of the city's main entrance. But it's weird; the signature isn't energon-based." Spike said.

Carly came up to her husband and her Autobot friend and said, "It's _not_ energon-based? Is that even possible?"

"The Dinobots and the Technobots were both built on Earth without the need for energon. It's not entirely unheard of, but this is different." Spike stated.

Cerebros was worried and quickly contacted Optimus Prime, "Optimus, we're picking up a large energy signature approaching south of the city's main entrance."

" _Understood, Cerebros. Ultra Magnus, Hotrod and Crosshairs are on route."_ Optimus replied.

* * *

The main gate opened and the vehicle forms of Ultra Magnus, Crosshairs and Hotrod raced out toward the incoming target. But something seemed off with Hotrod. He wasn't traveling at his usual breakneck pace. Crosshairs slowed down to drive beside Hotrod. Ultra Magnus also slowed somewhat but he knew time was of the essence.

"Hotrod, let's go. You're falling behind." he said.

"What's the matter, Roddy? Forget to tank up today? Keep up." Crosshairs said before and Ultra Magnus continued on.

Hotrod still fell behind. A deep, booming voice in his head then said, **"Destroy them. Destroy all of them."**

"No. I know what you are," Hotrod protested before he suddenly veered off course and into a ditch, transforming to robot mode. "Get out of my head."

" **You belong to me."** the booming voice declared, and Hotrod grasped his head in agony.

Meanwhile, Ultra Magnus and Crosshairs reached their destination and transformed. Looking back, Magnus asked, "Where's Hotrod?"

"He was right behind me." Crosshairs replied.

The two Autobots had no time to wonder about their comrade's whereabouts. The target was approaching. They first heard a sudden rumble followed by a light tremor. Then another tremor followed, and then another. The frequency of the tremors indicated that the target was walking… on more than two legs. A massive cloud of dust rose up toward the blue sky as the target in question drew closer. Ultra Magnus and Crosshairs deployed their respective guns as the target finally revealed itself.

A massive robotic structure resembling an insect appeared. It appeared to possess two giant pincers, walked on eight gangly robot mic limbs and a gigantic tail coiled over its body. Its head, if it was a head, lowered down to confront the two Autobots, both of whom holding their ground. At the same time, Hotrod arrived but didn't immediately join his friends. The voice, the all too familiar voice, was compelling him to attack, to kill, his own fellow Autobots. Hotrod doubled over in pain again.

Unaware of Hotrod's situation, Ultra Magnus approached the titanic insect-machine. "My name is Ultra Magnus, Second-in-Command of the Autobots under Optimus Prime. Identify yourself."

The titan seemed to react to Ultra Magnus inquiry. Then Crosshairs noticed the the titan's tail rearing back. On instinct, Crosshairs tackled Magnus out of the way just as the tail came down right on the place where Magnus stood. Magnus and Crosshairs recovered quickly and went on the attack, taking shots at the titan's hide. Their shots bounced harmlessly off the armor before the titan went to slam one of its pincers down on the two Autobots. Hotrod saw what was happening and attempted to intervene, but he once again doubled over in pain.

Ultra Magnus saw Hotrod and attempted to reach him, but the titan blocked his path. Crosshairs tried to fight but the titan bashed him with its pincer. Ultra Magnus had no choice and had to return to Crosshairs. Just as he did, the titan's tail started to hum and glow at the tip. Then it unleashed a warped lightning blast. Hotrod could only watch in horror as Ultra Magnus and Crosshairs were vaporized.

* * *

All that Cerebros was getting was static from Ultra Magnus, unaware of what had happened. "Optimus, we've lost contact with Magnus' team."

"Wait, I've got a visual of the situation," Carly said. The visual came up and the titan appeared, along with a plume of smoke where Magnus and company should've been. "Oh my God."

* * *

The Ground Bridge burst to life and the coordinates to Cybertron were set by Highbrow. "You're all set to depart, Brainstorm."

"We owe you one for this, Highbrow." Brainstorm replied, looking at both Sari and the Technobots.

"Just make sure to come back one piece. And Sari, I hope you find what you're looking for." Highbrow said.

"Thanks, Highbrow." Sari replied.

Wheeljack approached the team and said, "I'll go too. I might have some thing in my old lab we can put to good use."

Then the city alarm started blaring. A massive tremor followed and sent everyone dropping to the floor. Wheeljack quickly checked the monitor and couldn't believe what he seeing. It was some kind of insect-like monster, and was coming right at Autobot City right at that moment. It appeared to rear back an elongated, tail-like appendage and the top of it was sparking. Then it fired. The location was the very same area where Sari and company just happened to be, and the ceiling was ripped away with moments.

"Scattershot, get everyone into the Bridge, now!" Wheeljack shouted.

"You heard him, Technobots. Get into that Bridge." Scattershot said.

Wasting no time, the Technobots led the way into the Ground Bridge. Nosecone and Strafe took point and went in first. Lightspeed went in next followed by Afterburner. Scattershot picked Sari up from the floor and headed into the portal. Brainstorm was about to follow them when he turned back to Wheeljack, Highbrow and Rattletrap. Then an explosion rocked the space nearest to Highbrow while catapulting Rattletrap closest to the portal. Brainstorm could only watch in shock as the explosion engulfed Highbrow. Then he was gone. He looked over at Wheeljack, who was still by the controls.

"GO! I'll keep the Bridge open as long as I can."

"Dammit," Brainstorm cursed before he grabbed Rattletrap. "C'mon, Rattletrap."

"I told ya we were all gonna…" Rattletrap never finished his words before Brainstorm took through the Bridge.

The Bridge then closed, leaving Wheeljack alone amid the chaotic scene. "Good luck, Autobots." he mused, just as the main console exploded right in his face and engulfed him.

* * *

The titan continued attacking the city, completely indiscriminate of its targets. Inside the city, Cerebros led Spike and Carly down a hall that was being rocked by ongoing tremors. Debris fell around them as they tried to find cover. They then ran into Windblade with Daniel and Verity, and they quickly joined up to search for safety. Then an explosion caught them and knocked them all to the floor.

Cerebros and Windblade quickly got the four Humans up and continued onward. They all made it to the infirmary, but the place was a mess and Triage was collapsed in the corner with a girder pinning him to the wall. The group had no other choice but to take cover in a opposite corner. That was when Spike noticed something was wrong with Carly… and the piece of shrapnel in her sternum.

* * *

Elsewhere in the city, Jazz and Bumblebee we're trying to avoid being crushed by the fallen debris raining into the hanger bay. Maybe it was good fortune that the Dinobots were there to aid them. The Dinobots merged into Volcanicus and beat away as much debris as possible. At the same time, Optimus Prime arrived with Elita One, Arcee, Sideswipe, Devcon and Blitzwing. Quickly regrouping with Jazz and Bumblebee, Optimus led the the group to obstinately the safest area of the bay. Then a bolt of energy shot threw the ceiling, striking the only shuttle there.

"Autobots, take cover!" Optimus Prime shouted, knowing that the shuttle was about to explode.

"I GOT THIS! HIDE NOW!" Volcanicus bellowed, and he stood in front of the shuttle just as it detonated.

The shuttle did explode and sent Volcanicus flying into the far wall where he dropped in a heap. Another explosion sent more debris in the direction of the Autobots, but Optimus Prime managed to cut the debris apart with the Star Saber. Devcon and Blitzwing fires a few shots at more of the incoming debris, giving the rest of the Autobots time to get to cover. Another energy tore through the ceiling and struck the floor near Blitzwing, but he managed to get airborne before hand.

Optimus Prime took flight and cleaved more debris, while Devcon and Blitzwing joined him. Even as they worked to protect the others, cutting and blasting debris, they also had to avoid the random energy blast that came through. Devcon looked up through the newly made hole in the ceiling and saw the titan lurching along. Blitzwing quickly joined Devcon to get his own look at the titan.

"You ever seen anything like this, Devcon?"

"You're asking me?" Devcon retorted.

"Focus, Autobots." Optimus Prime commanded. He managed to cleave another bit of debris in half.

Then the titan turned its attention to Optimus himself. It raised one of its claws up and prepared to bring it down on the leader of the Autobots. Devcon quickly noticed it and rushed to Optimus. He managed to tackle Optimus out of the way, but he wasn't so fortunate. The claw came down directly onto Devcon, driving him down into the floor and crushing him beneath its weight. Blitzwing was shellshocked but had no time to mourn. He and Optimus Prime fell back to the fallback spot, but Blitzwing tripped and fell to the floor. This was seen by Elita One and she rushed out to help.

Optimus Prime went to help Blitzwing up and Elita One aiding him. They were just able to get the former Decepticon upright and moving, and they were just about to follow when an energy blast came down. The blast hits between Optimus Prime and Elita One, throwing them to opposite ends on the hanger. Optimus was nearest to the cover area but Elita wasn't, and he was about to rush back to get her. But another blast came down right where Elita stood, and Optimus watched in horror as she was vaporized in front of him.

Bumblebee saw Optimus Prime on his knees and moved to help, but Jazz and Sideswipe held him back. More debris fell around Optimus Prime and he disappeared in a plume of smoke. Bumblebee still tried to get to Optimus but a huge chunk of the ceiling was coming down. It would've hit Bumblebee had Volcanicus not caught the ceiling chunk, giving Jazz and Sideswipe time to pull Bumblebee back. Volcanicus held the ceiling chunk over his head even as more and more debris fell around him.

* * *

The titan continued its relentless assault on Autobot City. It brought down every inch of the city, either by way of blasting it with its tail or crushing it with its pincers, sending the walls and towers crumbling down in plumes of smoke and fire After a near indeterminate amount razing the city, the titan finally ceased its assault and backed away. Unbeknownst to the titan, Hotrod had climbed onto the structure and searched for a way to get inside of it.

Hotrod didn't expect the titan to suddenly start transforming, and an opening appeared right in front him. He lost his balance and fell inside while the titan's finished its changing. By that point, the titan now resembled an enormous space vessel and gunned a series of thrusters. It lifted into the air, kicking dirt and smoke into the air before launching toward the sky. In its wake, Autobot City was left in ruins.

* * *

Author's Note: That ends the first chapter of Edge of Oblivion Pt II, and I told things were gonna get dicey. The titan (we all know who it is but let's still with the titan for now) has just laid waste to Autobot City and killed many Autobots. But why? And what could be happening to Hotrod and how will the Decepticons respond? The only way to find is to stay tuned for more. Don't forget to leave a review. Peace Out!


	24. Here Be Order And Chaos

Disclaimer: Looks like Part II is off to a good start. Or a heart wrenching one, either/or.

You know the drill. I don't own Transformers. Yada, yada, yada... OW MY HEAD. Oh snap, my eyes are green. That's not good.

* * *

Chapter II

Megatron didn't know why he was summoned to the bridge of the _Harbinger_ so soon after the entire debacle with M.E.C.H. But he was about to learn the situation once he arrived in the bridge. Shockwave and Dreadwing were already present along with Tarn and the rest of the DJD. Silhouette in particular had taken position at the ship's helm as Megatron approached his two top lieutenants.

"This had better be worth my time." Megatron sneered at Shockwave.

"Our onboard instruments have detected a series of explosions and rampant energy signatures within the vicinity of Autobot City." Shockwave replied.

Megatron was surprised and said, "Bring Autobot City up on the vid screen."

Silhouette did so and the vid screen showed Autobot City in ruins. Dreadwing absentmindedly uttered, "What in the Pit happened?"

An irate Megatron glared at Skullcrusher, knowing his tendency of wanting to fire the ship's weapons, and bellowed, "What did you do, Skullcrusher?"

"It wasn't me, Megatron. I swear in Primus's name." Skullcrusher vehemently denied.

"I can confirm it. The _Harbinger's_ weaponswere never fired or even armed." Silhouette added.

"If not us, then who?" Megatron demanded when the ship's alarms began blaring.

"Proximity alert. Something's coming up from the planet's surface, from the vicinity of Autobot City. And it's closing in fast." Silhouette said.

"How fast, Silhouette?" Tarn asked.

Before Silhouette could answer Tarn's question, the titan space vessel traveled within range of the _Harbinger_. The sheer size and force of the titan sent the _Harbinger_ listing to one side. The Decepticons felt the listing and tumbled over each other, while the instruments sparked wildly around them. The whole ordeal seemed to last ages at a time but it was really only a few moments. Then the titan traveled onward and deeper into the far reaches of outer space, leaving the Decepticons to right the ship back a stable orbit. Silhouette finally pulled herself back to the helm, shaken but otherwise functional.

She finally looked over to Tarn and replied, " _That_ fast!"

Off Road threw Knock Off of him and bellowed, "What in the pit was that?"

"Whatever it was, it nearly knocked us out of orbit." Clench replied.

"You think _that's_ bad? Look at this scratch on my finish. It'll take forever to buff it out." Knock Off complained, pointing to a small scratch on his arm.

"Oh shut up about your damn finish, Knock Out!" Off Road snapped.

"All of you shut up!" Tarn shouted.

Megatron seemed unconcerned about the DJD's bickering, instead transfixed on what just occurred. "Track that ship. Follow it. I don't care where it goes, but follow it."

Then as Megatron stormed off, Tarn said, "What's the problem, Megatron? I thought you'd be happy to see Autobot City in ruins."

"Not to mention the high probability that Optimus Prime could be dead." Off Road added. He then paid for it.

Megatron grabbed Off Road by the neck and pinned him hard to the wall. "There's only one who reserves the right, nay, the authority and the privilege to kill Optimus Prime. Take a guess who that might be."

Off Road laboriously uttered, "You."

Megatron dropped Off Road and turned back to the bridge full of Decepticons. "Someone or something killed my greatest rival. When we find them, I'll kill them personally."

The _Harbinger_ shifted its position toward the direction of the titan ship. Then it gunned the thrusters and blasted away after the target. Soon after however, another ship appeared within the vicinity of Earth. Smaller than the _Harbinger_ , the new mystery ship began a slow approach toward the planet.

* * *

The only lights flickering were the numerous fires around what remained of Autobot City. Twisted chucks of metal littered the entire length of space that the city once occupied. One such particularly large chuck of metal was shifting upward. A grunt could be heard underneath until it was tossed aside. Volcanicus appeared and immediately disengaged into the six Dinobots. As the Dinobots spread out, Sideswipe climbed up from the rubble. Blitzwing followed along with Arcee. Jazz and Bumblebee were the last to emerge, and Bee broke away from the group.

"Wha… what happened?" he asked.

Jazz quickly tried to make any kind of contact with Optimus Prime. "Optimus, it's Jazz. Do you read me? Optimus, come in."

Grimlock gathered his team and said to them, "Dinobots, spread out and look for survivors."

"No way anyone else lived through this." Snarl commented.

"We survived, Snarl. Someone's gotta be alive in this mess." Swoop exclaimed.

"We survived 'cause we're tougher than the rest." Snarl argued.

"That doesn't matter, Snarl. We don't leave anyone behind if we can help 'em. Now go." Grimlock ordered, and the Dinobots dispersed.

"Optimus Prime, what's your location? C'mon, big bot. Talk to me." Jazz said.

Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Arcee searched around the debris field for any sign of Optimus Prime. Blitzwing moves chunks of rubble out of his way until he noticed a faint movement nearby. A hand reached out of a pile of debris and Blitzwing rushed toward it. It didn't take long for Sideswipe to notice, and then Bumblebee and Arcee rushes toward the hand in the debris. Blitzwing reached down to grab the hand that clearly belong to Optimus Prime and started to pull. Bumblebee and Sideswipe tried to lift the chunk before Grimlock came around.

Grimlock pushed the two Autobots out of the way and grasped the chunk with both hands. With a mighty growl, he hoisted the chunk off the ground and Optimus Prime was there. He battered and dented but functional as Bumblebee and Sideswipe helped him up. Jazz eventually arrived to help his friends aid their leader, who collapsed to a knee but still managed to steady himself enough to stand up straight.

"You're all alive." Optimus Prime said.

"I could say the same about you, Optimus." Jazz replied.

Optimus Prime's short moment of elation was melted away by a stark realization, and then it dawned on him. "She is gone, Jazz. Elita is gone."

"Yeah. I saw it, Optimus." Jazz said.

"Devcon too." Blitzwing added.

" _Is anyone out there? Anyone reading me?"_

Optimus Prime immediately recognized the voice and answered, "Cerebros, we're here. Where are you?"

" _We're trapped in the infirmary. Triage is dead and Carly is seriously injured. We need help."_ Cerebros replied.

* * *

Verity was in panic mode as she worked to stop the bleeding from Carly's abdominal wound. The most that Daniel could do was put what pressure he could manage while Spike stayed at Carly's side. Windblade and Cerebros were busy trying to move as much debris as possible. Cerebros stopped and made another frantic call to anyone within earshot.

"We need help here. Anyone reading me? Send help now."

" _Just hold on, Cerebros. Help is on the way."_ Optimus Prime replied.

"Just hang on, Carly. Help's coming." Spike said, desperately trying to comfort his wife.

"I'm scared, Spike." Carly laboriously replied.

"Mom, we're right here. We're not leaving you." Daniel said as he worked to keep the blood from flowing.

 _Keep her talking, guys. Please keep her talking._ Verity thought. The bleeding was slowing down but not stopping.

Spike saw the troubled look in Verity's eyes and knew what was going to happen. He looked into Carly's then and told her, "You're going to be okay, Carly. Just hang on."

But Carly smiled and weakly replied, "You're a terrible liar, Spike."

"Mom?" Daniel begged just as a noise was heard from beyond the debris.

"Spike, you in there?" Swoop called out

"Swoop, hurry up." Spike shouted.

"Spike," Carly said in a more weakened voice. "I love you."

Spike grabbed Carly's hand and said, "No no no, don't do that. You'll be okay."

"Mom, we're right here. We're not leaving you," Daniel then looked up at Carly and said to her, "Verity, please do something."

But it was already too late, and Verity looked up at Daniel with saddened eyes. "I… I can't stop it. I can't stop the bleeding."

Daniel didn't want to hear and said, "No. Mom, please…"

As more noise sounded from outside, Carly said to her son, "I'm so … proud of you, Daniel. Please, take care of your father. Take care… of Verity."

"Mom…" Daniel begged as Carly placed her hand on his face.

Carly managed to give her son one last smile before she went still. Then she was gone, her hand dropping from Daniel's face. The debris was as finally removed and Swoop and Sludge stormed into the ruined infirmary, stopping short of seeing a lifeless Carly. Swoop dropped to his knees in disbelief, realizing he'd just lost a friend. Daniel took Carly hand back into own two and buried his head down on the knuckles. Verity tried to comfort him as best she could but she couldn't stop the tears from pouring out.

Spike was speechless, maybe even broken. He got up, put a hand on Daniel's shoulder and then silently walked away. Swoop tried to stop him but Spike seemed to ignore him completely, walking passed Sludge, Cerebros and Windblade. Out in the ruined hall, Spike now tried to hold it together. He fought back the anguish as it built up inside of him while Daniel emerged from the infirmary. It was at that moment that Spike finally dropped his knees and broke down into tears. Daniel approaches his father and embraced him while Verity looked on in tears as well.

* * *

Night fell on the ruins of Autobot City. Optimus Prime waited for anything official regarding the fate of his Autobots. He checked on a few wounds he'd sustained in the unprovoked attack on the city. None of the wounds were particularly serious but that was hardly a comfort in the grand scheme of things. Several of the surviving Autobots were seated around one another, with Bumblebee, Arcee, Cerebros, Sideswipe and Windblade among them.

Optimus looked over to the three Humans sitting nearby. Spike sat alone with his hands clasped together, trying to process the death of Carly. Daniel and Verity sat nearby, holding hands as Verity comforted a weeping Daniel. Seeing his Human friends in mourning broke Optimus liked he'd never been broken before. For the first time in his existence, he had no words for them. After some time, Jazz, Blitzwing and the Dinobots returned.

What's the latest, Jazz?" Optimus asked.

Jazz hesitated for a moment before he reported, "Well, it's not exactly a good sign for us. Teletraan II's been destroyed along with the Ground Bridge and our only shuttle. Altogether, I'd say we're pretty much cut off from Cybertron."

"What about our casualties?" Optimus asked, inwardly not wanting to know.

Jazz hesitated again before replying, "We lost eight of our friends, Optimus; Ultra Magnus, Crosshairs, Triage, Highbrow, Wheeljack, Devcon… Elita One…" Jazz stopped and glanced and Spike and Daniel. "…and Carly."

"What about Brainstorm and the Technobots?" Bumblebee asked.

"No sign of them or Rattletrap or Sari." Grimlock said.

"There was a power fluctuation originating from the Ground Bridge. It's possible that they manage to transport away before the attack." Cerebros revealed.

"What about Hotrod," Arcee asked. "There was no mention of him and he was with Magnus and Crosshairs."

"He's probably dead too." Blitzwing claimed.

"You don't know that." Arcee replied.

"Then where is he? Why isn't he here," Blitzwing asked. But Arcee didn't reply so he continued, "There's only to possible answers; either Hotrod is dead or he's a traitor."

That last option set Arcee off and she demanded, "You take that back, Blitzwing."

"Or what? You're going to frag me?" Blitzwing snapped.

"If I don't, one of the Dinobots might." Arcee claimed.

"Go ahead. It won't change the fact that your boyfriend ain't here. Those are your only possible options; he's dead or he betrayed you idiots." Blitzwing defiantly claimed.

"I'm warning you, Decepticon." Arcee threatened.

"I digress, maybe Hotrod _did_ turn his back on you and you don't want to admit it." Blitzwing pushed.

Arcee was upright and her weapon drawn. "If you want a fight, I'll give you a fight."

Blitzwing got up too and snapped, "You'd better make it count."

Jazz, Bumblebee, Windblade and Sideswipe got between both of them as Optimus Prime shouted, "That's enough, both of you. This infighting will change nothing of the current situation."

"Ease down, Arcee." Jazz calmly said, and Arcee did.

With order restored, Optimus Prime said, "Regardless of what is believed, it doesn't change the reality that we are stranded on Earth with no way of reaching Cybertron."

"Kind of sounds familiar." Sideswipe commented.

Optimus continued, "We've lost friends. We've lost our city. Some of us have lost family," He looked at Spike and Daniel. "But we are not beaten yet. We will find a way to reach Cybertron."

"With all due respect, Optimus, I don't see how that'll be possible. And even if we find some way to reach Cybertron, we have no means of challenging that monster." Cerebros said.

But Optimus surprised everyone when he said, "There may be one who could stand against that titan. He's laid dormant on Cybertron for eons."

"Who?" Cerebros asked.

Before he could get an answer from Optimus Prime, a faint sound rang out from above. A hazy light shown above the clouds and the Autobots readied themselves for a possible fight. It wasn't the Decepticons or the titan, but it was ship of considerable size. It wasn't as large as the _Harbinger_ or the _Ark_ , but it was large enough to pose a threat all the same. But it posed no threat despite having several gun implements, and it came to as smooth a landing as one could manage.

The Autobots all readied themselves for anything. Optimus Prime stood front and center with the Star Saber in hand. The mystery ship lowered a ramp and the Autobots tensed up. Optimus Prime stood his ground as the ramp completed its lowering. Metallic footsteps could be heard before Optimus noticed a figure approaching from with a sheet of smoke. The figure emerged and whom ever it was appeared roughly as tall as Optimus Prime himself. Optimus maintained a tight grip on the hilt of the Star Saber as the figure approached.

This new arrival sported a mostly black and silver color scheme. He stood on burly legs and his feet appeared more animalistic. There was something unusual about this newcomer; he appeared to have fur like like an animal of some kind. But the one aspect that was most surprising was that his head and face appeared strikingly similar to Optimus Prime. Optimus was almost convinced that he was staring at a mirror image. They came face to face, the newcomer showing no indication of hostility. He did produce a smile but that quickly dissipated one he saw the ruined city.

"Well, that's just prime." He said in a calm tone with a small measure of leadership in it.

"I do not believe you or I have met." Optimus Prime said.

"No, we haven't. What happened here?" the newcomer asked.

"We were attacked by an unknown enemy. Many of our Autobots did not make it and others are missing in action. We have no way of reaching them or Cybertron." Optimus Prime stated.

After some consideration, the newcomer said, "You do now."

"Wait a minute," Daniel called out. "You show up from nowhere and just offer your help, no strings attached? We don't even know you. How could we trust you?"

"You can trust him, Daniel." A familiar voice replied, and Breakaway appeared from the ship.

"Breakaway?" Arcee said in shock.

It wasn't just Breakaway that emerged from the ship. Dark Steel, Tigatron and the Wreckers appeared as well. Then several other newcomers emerged from the ship. Among them was a young, oddly spotted crew member who bore a striking resemblance to Tigatron, a burly green and gray robot and a golden and blue bot with red wings. They all gathered the one whom Optimus Prime concluded to be their leader.

That didn't stop the leader of the Autobots from asking the all important question. "Who are you?"

The newcomer replied, "My name is Optimus Primal."

* * *

Hotrod managed to remain undetected as he traversed through the insides of the titan. It wasn't really that hard considering the lack of adequate security measures. Whoever controlled this monster likely never expected any intruders. Hotrod knew he had to find the one responsible for the destruction of Autobot City and the probable deaths of many of his friends. But then as he traveled through the structure, he suddenly stopped dead in place. He spun around and drew his weapon, but saw nothing behind him. He saw nothing anywhere but he couldn't shake the feeling that he wasn't alone.

Then Hotrod grasped his head and buckled under his own weight. There it was again: that searing pain that sent his servos ablaze, along with the random screeches. The voices… _his_ voice. Hotrod dropped to his knees and held his hands to his head in a failed attempt to block out the pain. He even went as far as dimming his blue optics but even that wasn't enough. Then the noises stopped. Hotrod undimmed his optics, only to find that he was now in pitch black darkness.

 _((He stood up and tried to figure out anything about where he was standing, but not even the most minuet of details stood out. Yet Hotrod couldn't shake off the dark presence, and he was seemingly unaware of the two giant horns slowly dropping behind him. A faint sound alerted Hotrod and he spun around to face the source. Nothing. Hotrod knew something was wrong, and then he turned around…_

… _right into the icy grip the dark presence. "_ _ **Welcome, Rodimus."**_

 _Lifted up by his neck, Hotrod struggled against his captor. "Unicron."_

 _It was Unicron, or at least a manifestation of the Chaos Bringer, in his god-like robot form._ _ **"Long have I laid dormant within your very psyche, waiting for the moment when I could rise once more."**_

 _Unicron then threw Hotrod down, and Hotrod got back up and lunged forward. Hotrod went for a straight punch, but Unicron easily stepped aside. Hotrod tried another punch and Unicron didn't move this time. He just vanished in a plume of smoke before reappearing behind Hotrod. Hotrod took a brutal backhand to the face and went crashing down. Unicron pulled Hotrod up and pummeled him back throwing him back down. Hotrod tried to rise as Unicron loomed over him._

" _You can't be real. I opened the Matrix. I killed you." Hotrod insisted._

 _Unicron grabbed Hotrod by the neck and lifted him up, holding him in the air._ _ **"You merely destroyed my physical form. My essence, my anti-spark is eternal, everlasting. It cannot be destroyed. I cannot be destroyed."**_

 _Hotrod wasn't about to give in and fired one of his arm blasters into Unicron's face. Unicron took the full force of the blast and sustained no damage. He threw Hotrod down and held him, then he vanished from view. As Hotrod tried to get back up, Unicron reappeared in front of him. He held a clawed hand to one side and a portal-like window appeared like an illusion. In it, Hotrod saw himself fighting the numerous Optimus Prime clones along with Galvatron. He noticed one of the twisted clones slicing him in the leg. He then saw a sickly green haze weeping into the wound._

" _ **A simple wound proved adequate for my eventual resurrection, but your wretched Matrix of Leadership delayed my return to a corporeal form. No longer."**_ _Unicron declared._

" _Optimus Prime will stop you." Hotrod claimed._

" _ **Not if he cannot kill me. Or rather… you. You belong to me now."**_ _Unicron said before lunging directly at Hotrod.))_

Back in reality, Hotrod started screaming. He grasped his head and staggered all over the place he stood for what seemed like an eternity. He slammed into walls, rolled across the floor and even went as far as slamming his own head into the hardest surface he could find. It was all for naught, but he kept trying for all his worth. Finally, he fell to his knees still gripping his head, shaking from the sheer pain and agony that was being done unto him.

Then the screaming stopped and Hotrod was still. He was on his knees and slowly broke his grip on his head. He was calm now, eerily calm and seemingly content as if waking from a nightmare. But something was now different. Hotrod stood up onto his feet with an air of authority. He undimmed his optics, and they were no longer crystal blue but sickly green… like those of the devil reborn. Unicron had returned.

* * *

Author's Note: Hey, I got another chapter done sooner than expected. Anyway, things are just getting worse for everyone with a very pissed off Megatron, the death of Carly and... the return of Unicron. Yeah, that last one made use of psychological torment and schizophrenia as well. Plus the very one-sided fight happened within poor Roddy's mind.

On the plus side, we get the returns of Breakaway, Dark Steel, Tigatron and the Wreckers. Plus, and know there are those who've been asking, we get the debut of the one and only Optimus Primal. There's a very good chance that at least a handful of the OG Maximals will debut as well. Please leave a few reviews and I'll be back soon. Peace out!


	25. Exodus

Disclaimer: Okay, I managed to get the latest chapter finished. Took me long enough, right? Do enjoy.

Of course, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter III

Cybertron was enjoying a relatively peaceful time with no fighting between the Autobots and the Decepticons. That wasn't to indicate that the home planet of the Transformers was even slightly more lively. On the surface of the planet, a portal opened and Rattletrap was literally thrown from it. He came down hard on the metallic ground face first, and then Brainstorm came through the portal with Sari huddled in his arms. The Technobots eventually came through one by one before the portal closed behind them. Sari was set down on the surface and couldn't keep herself from gazing in awe at her surroundings. Then Rattletrap ruined it the moment.

"I knew it. We're fragged and rusted and all the way down in the Pit," he bellowed before looking up. "Oh, you've gotta be kidding me."

"Definitely not kidding you, Rattletrap. You're welcome, by the way." Brainstorm said.

"For what? Dragging me to backwater metal dump?"

"For saving your little mechanized backside, you ungrateful cyber troll."

"What makes you think I needed saving, Brainless?"

"Guys, that's enough," Scattershot said, finally diffusing the argument. "The fact of the matter is we're here now, so we have to make this little vacation of ours worth."

Brainstorm and Rattletrap exchanged bitter glares before turning away, while Afterburner said, "So, this is Cybertron. I've seen better."

"I was expecting it to be a little more welcoming." Lightspeed said.

"More likely alive. This whole planet seems kind of dead." Strafe added.

"You're not that far off, Strafe. There're still a few parts of the planet that have power flowing through, but Cybertron has been of life support for eons." Brainstorm said.

Nosecone looked up toward the stars and felt a pang of dread. "What is that? That's no moon I've ever seen."

Brainstorm approached the Technobot and replied, "That… is Unicron. His head anyway."

"You didn't say anything about Cybertron having a decayed, floating head for a satellite." Scattershot pointed out.

"You didn't ask. That decayed head is all that was left of Unicron after Hotrod destroyed him. Back then, he was known as Rodimus Prime." Brainstorm explained.

"This is unreal." Sari muttered to herself.

"You okay, Sari?" Scattershot asked.

"It's just surreal to think that this is my first time setting foot on Cybertron, and it's also where I was created." Sari exclaimed.

Scattershot knelt down beside Sari and replied, "If it's any comfort, I feel the same way."

"C'mon you guys. Iacon isn't too far from here, and there're still some Autobots alive and well. We can plan our next move from there." Brainstorm said.

Brainstorm transformed to his jet form and ushered Sari into the cockpit before lifting off. The Technobots followed suit, Scattershot and Strafe assuming their jet forms while Lightspeed, Nosecone and Afterburner assumes their ground based form. They all drove or flew off, but Rattletrap was hesitant to follow. It was more out of spite than trepidation. But he eventually swallowed his pride and assumed his vehicle form before driving after the group.

* * *

The Autobots had no idea that they were being watched. Within a darkened place somewhere on Cybertron, a shadowy figure studied the arrivals with marked interest. The interest was particularly measured on Sari, as if the figure knew her in some capacity. The figure leaned closer to one of monitors, obstinately to get a better look at Sari. In the darkness, a smile went unseen.

"Welcome home, my dear Pretender."

* * *

"What do you mean I'm not going?" Daniel shouted.

"Exactly what it means, Daniel. I'm not risking your life by taking you to Cybertron." Spike stated.

They were standing amid the ruins of Autobot City, where Spike was gathering what supplies he could. Daniel retorted, "The last time you went to Cybertron, you were nearly melted in a vat of acid inside of Unicron. I saved you that day, you and Mom."

"And I'm grateful for that, but this is different. Everything's different now." Spike claimed.

"Yeah, Mom's dead. Of course everything's different." Daniel spat, and he instantly regretted it.

Spike spun sharply around to confront his son and snapped, "Watch you mouth, boy."

It only took a moment for the two to cool down, and Daniel said, "I didn't mean to say that."

Spike put a hand on Daniel's shoulder and said, "I know."

"It's… I just can't believe she's gone, and I couldn't save her this time." Daniel admitted.

"Her death is on me. Yours can't be, especially if there's a chance to ensure that Samantha is born in this timeline."

"So you're not just doing this for me or Mom." Daniel realized.

"I'm doing this to make sure you have a future. For what it's worth, I'm proud of the man you've become." Spike said just as he released Daniel and went on his way.

Daniel then said, "Dad… find the bastard who killed Mom and bring them down. And, make sure you come back."

"I'm coming back. I swear on your mother, I'm coming back." Spike said before walking away.

Daniel forced himself not to chase after his father as Verity approached him. "You okay?"

"I feel like I'm about to lose both my parents." Daniel admitted.

Verity tried to find the right words and she said, "He's coming back, Daniel."

"I know he is," Daniel claimed, and then he looked to Verity and admitted, "Because I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't."

* * *

The Autobots all entered the newly arrived ship that was captained by the one called Optimus Primal. To avoid confusion, he'd suggested being addressed as simply 'Primal'. Optimus Prime fully understood the request and had his Autobots understand it as well. For the time being, the current goal was ushering the Dinobots into the ship. The rest of the Autobots followed suit, as did Spike although he did take one last look at the Earth before moving on. Only Jazz and Bumblebee remained.

"That's pretty much every Autobot we can spare, Optimus." Jazz reported.

"That includes Blitzwing, although I'm not entirely sure I'd call him an Autobot. He doesn't even want to wear the insignia." Bumblebee said.

"That is his choice, Bumblebee. It's not our place to make it for him." Optimus Prime stated.

"Speaking of choices, I have a request, Optimus. I'd like to remain on Earth."

"You serious, Bee? I mean I love Earth as much as you do, but Cybertron is our home." Jazz said.

"I know, Jazz. But Earth has been home to us for so long that can't make think of anywhere else I'd want to be." Bumblebee stated before addressing Optimus Prime. "So with your permission, Optimus, I'd like to stay on Earth."

Jazz thought about it and added, "Know what? Think I'll stick around too. Someone's gotta keep an optic on Daniel and Verity."

Optimus Prime considered it and said, "Very well. The two of you will remain here on Earth to protect it and the Human race. I pray to Primus that we meet again."

As Optimus made for the ship, Bumblebee said, "Optimus… Til all are one."

"Til all are one, my friend." Optimus Prime replied before moving on.

Once all Autobots were aboard, the ship's main thrusters burst to life. The ship itself started lifting upward within a matter of moments, kicking up plumes of smoke everywhere. On the ground and safely at a distance, Daniel, Verity, Bumblebee and Jazz watched as the ship lifted away. Then the ship started ascending toward the sky, shrinking smaller as it climbed until it was barely visible at all. Daniel felt a pang of uncertainty in his guts and even clenched his fists. Only the feeling of Verity's hand made him open up again, and they took each other's hands in their own.

* * *

The ship climbed and climbed until it broke through the Earth's atmosphere. Inside the ship, Optimus Primal led the Autobots through the brightly lit halls. They eventually reached a set of doors the slid open to reveal the main bridge. Primal moved in without pausing, as did the three unknown robots first accompanied him on Earth. They all took up different positions on the bridge, and then the Autobots started filing into the bridge. They noticed the presence of three other robots manning various areas.

Primal finally addressed Optimus Prime and said, "Welcome aboard the _Alchemor_ , Autobots."

The Autobots spread out around the bridge while Optimus Prime replied, "It is a most impressive ship, Primal. As I understand it, it's one of several ships that spirited refugees from Cybertron."

"She'd lost power some time ago, leaving us adrift in space. We thought it was the end for us, until the _Axiom_ came to the rescue." Primal explained.

"Good thing too. Even as smart as I am, I couldn't fix all on the ship's issues. But the Wreckers clearly know their stuff." said the burly green robot.

"And you are?" Sideswipe asked.

"Sorry about that. The name's Rhinox. I'm the _Alchemor's_ Chief Engineer and Second-in-Command of the Maximals."

"The Maximals?" Windblade repeated.

"That's our name, sweet wings," said the spotted robot. "So, what's yours, or should I guess?"

Sideswipe stepped between the spotted bot and Windblade while Tigatron called, "Cheetor, behave yourself."

"C'mon, bro. I'm just being friendly. Plus, you never told me that the Autobots has some cute femmes on their team." said the robot known as Cheetor.

"That's not what you thought when I came aboard, Cheetor." Dark Steel said.

"Well, I thought your were a Decepticon when you came aboard. Plus, you were already taken by Breakaway." Cheetor said.

"So you're hitting on me instead? Charming," Windblade quipped. "I'm Windblade, by the way."

"Welcome aboard, Windblade." Cheetor said, and sounded like a cooing tone, which annoyed Sideswipe.

One of the chair spun around and revealed a bright blue robot with wings like a bat. He jumped out and bolted from his chair straight to Optimus Prime. "You're him. You're Optimus Prime. Guys, it's Optimus Prime."

"Yeah we noticed, Night Scream." said the gold and blue robot.

The Maximal called Night Scream spun back to Optimus Prime and said, "Sorry, I'm just a huge fan of you and all your exploits."

"I am… happy to meet a fan, Night Scream," Optimus Prime replied, and then he addressed the other Maximal. "Who might you be?"

Without turning around, the Maximal replied, "Metal Hawk, Combat Operations."

"And I do Navigation, which kind of fits for me." Night Scream added.

"Okay, back to your post, Night Scream." Primal said rather gently, and Night Scream went along.

Optimus Prime then address Primal about the other two bots that he could only assume were also Maximals. "And them?"

Primal turned his gaze to the smaller of the two, one appearing with a black and yellow color scheme wing insect wings and the other being blue and white with what looked like fins. "Waspinator and Sky-Byte. We don't know much about them since they keep to themselves."

"They are clearly Cybertronian." Optimus noted.

"Yeah, but they were already off world when we recruited them," Primal turned his back to them and quietly added, "The crew doesn't trust them and neither do I, so we're keeping tabs on them."

"We're ready to head out, Boss Bot." Cheetor said as Tigatron sat beside him.

"Understood," Primal replied before addressing Optimus Prime. "Optimus, I have to take command. But if you have anything to say to you Autobots, now's as good a time as any."

Optimus Prime gave Primal before addressing his Autobots. "Autobots, not 24 Earth hours ago, we lost our city. We lost our friends… we lost part of our family. We now find ourselves facing an enemy we've never encountered, one that could very well threaten Cybertron itself. For the sake of all those whom we've lost, we must meet this new potential foe if we hope to survive," Optimus Prime paused to let it all sink into his Autobots before finishing, "Make no mistake, Autobots, this could be the fight of our lives. We cannot fail. We **will not** fail."

"Well said, Optimus Prime," Primal said, gaining a nod from his Autobot counterpart. Primal then approached the helm and said, "Helm, take us out."

While the Maximals got the ship moving, Spike gazed through the viewport of the bridge, looking down at Earth for what could be the last time for a long while. Arcee knelt down and asked, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just… Daniel lost his mother and I lost my wife. Now, I'm leaving him on Earth to hunt down the maniac that took Carly away. I can't help but wonder if I'm being selfish in leaving him behind." Spike admitted.

Arcee considered her response and said, "I don't think you're being selfish, Spike. I think your doing what any father would do to protect his son."

"Why do I get the feeling that I'll never see him again?" Spike asked.

"You will. We'll make sure of that." Arcee said.

Spike gave up not the subtlest nod before asked, "What about you? Do you think it's true about what Blitzwing said about Hotrod?"

Arcee glared at Spike and replied, "Not for a microsecond. I don't believe that Hotrod would ever turn traitor. I refuse to believe it."

"I hope you're right, Arcee. For all our sakes." Spike replied.

The _Alchemor_ altered its position away from the Earth and gunned its main thrusters. Then it rocketed away out into the vastness of space. Things were quiet for a few moments before a small area of space seemed to morph. Another ship suddenly appeared, smaller than the _Alchemor_ and it too shifted its position. Then it rocketed off after the _Alchemor_.

* * *

Joshua Joyce rubbed the bridge of his nose in exhaustion while staring at a holographic image. The image was of a woman and young boy beside her. The image of the two of them smiling made Joshua smile a bit. But the feeling was a bittersweet pill to swallow for him. He couldn't keep a tear from forming and dripping from his eye, but he did fight the urge to break down completely. He kept it together, right up until he heard something within the confines of the titan.

Quickly pressing a button, he said, "Status report."

A booming voice rang out, "STARBOARD THRUSTER DOWN TO 30 PERCENT EFFICIENCY."

"Reduce power in port thruster to compensate." Joshua said.

"ACKNOWLEDGED. ALERT; POSSIBLE INTRUDER DETECTED. PROBABILITY: 67%."

"Give me a visual of the starboard engine area." Joshua requested.

The video screen showed the starboard engine area as being dark and shadowy, but Joshua knew this wasn't supposed to be the case. His suspicions were further warranted when he noticed movement in the shadows, thus confirming the system's report. But before he could act, the entire control room went pitch black. Joshua grew nervous by what was suddenly happening and worked the still operational console. It wasn't long after that the lights finally came back on, but Joshua was unaware that the intruder was now standing right behind him.

Once Joshua turned around, he was hurled across the control room by the intruder. Joshua recovered quickly and unleashed his metallic fingers, snagging the intruder. He saw the Autobot insignia and recognized the intruder as Hotrod, but something was very different. This momentary lapse in focus allowed Hotrod to break free and charge forward, forcing Joshua to duck out of the way.

Joshua managed to reach for a pistol and fired on Hotrod, but the shots bounced off his armor. Hotrod deployed a spinning saw weapon and went on the attack, and Joshua just barely avoided getting sliced to pieces. He took a few more shots but Hotrod fires back. One shot was all it took to knock the pistol out of Joshua's hands. It seemed to be fate that Joshua was right at the foot of the console. Hotrod stalked toward him with his saw spinning wildly. Joshua acted fast and hit the console hard.

A series of hatches opened in the ceiling of the control room and cables jutted out. The cables snagged Hotrod's limbs one by one and held him in place. He protested and bellowed, but his voice was different. It sounded deep and hoarse, like something had possessed him. Joshua didn't stop to wonder why the Autobot seemed so different. He grabbed the fallen pistol and prepared to fire a shot, but he wasn't ready for what happened next.

A dark, sickly green appendage suddenly burst from behind Hotrod and shot forth. It snagged Joshua by his ankle and tripped him up. Another appendage appeared and knocked the pistol from Joshua's hand before the first appendage hoisted him off the floor. By that point, Hotrod broke free of his bounds and stalked Joshua. Joshua was held upside down as Hotrod approached him. More sickly green appendages appeared and wrapped themselves around Joshua's free limbs and held him in place as Hotrod came face to face with him.

"I know you. You're one of Optimus Prime's soldiers; the one called Hotrod," Joshua said, but Hotrod didn't respond. "Well, what are you waiting for? Kill me! Kill me just like your kind killed my people, my family. GO ON! KILL ME!"

Then 'Hotrod' replied, **"I am not Hotrod, and I do not recall destroying your people."**

"What," Joshua wondered before 'Hotrod' dropped him to the floor. "You think you can lie to me? You're one of them. Your war killed my race. Autobot, Decepticon… you're all to blame for the destruction of my home and my people."

'Hotrod' knelt down to better commune with Joshua, retracing the appendages in the process. **"You have been wrong by the Cybertronians, as have I. They destroyed my physical form, forcing me to reside within this imperfect mold."**

"You hate them too?" Joshua concluded.

" **We have a common enemy. It would be prudent to combine our efforts to exterminate them all."**

Joshua got back up to his feet and said, "So you're neither Autobot nor Decepticon. You want them dead as much as I do."

" **I oppose the Autobots and the Decepticons. Cooperation would be a key asset in their eventual extermination."**

Joshua didn't know what to make of this being before him and asked, "Who are you?"

Leaning forward, 'Hotrod' replied, **"I… am Unicron."**

"Unicron, eh? On Earth, I took the name of Joshua Joyce. But on my home world, I was known as…"

A tremor stopped Joshua from explaining further. The vid screen popped up and a ship appeared. **"Decepticons!"** Unicron snarled.

"They must've followed us from Earth. What do we do?" Joshua asked.

Unicron coldly replied, **"We will make them one with the void."**

* * *

Author's note: Well that puts an end to this chapter. Sari, Brainstorm and the Technobots made it to Cybertron, but someone's watching them. We also meet more of the Maximals as well the debuts of fan favorites Waspinator and Sky-Byte. And, Joshua is confronted by Unicron in Hotrod's body, and the Chaos Bringer appears to be propose an alliance. Trouble? We'll find out next time so do leave a review. Peace out.


	26. The Pursuit Of All Things

Disclaimer: Another day, another chapter set and ready to be read and enjoyed.

Like always, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter IV

"We have a visual on the ship, Megatron." Wingspan reported.

"Open a communication channel. I want to know who's on that ship so I can kill them for taking Optimus Prime away from me." Megatron said.

"Channel open, Megatron." Pounce said.

Megatron stepped up toward the helm where Skullcrusher and Silhouette were stationed. "This is Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. To whomever helms this vessel, you've led an unprovoked assault on Autobot City that likely led to the deaths of a number of Autobots…"

* * *

On the titan ship, Joshua was watching the image of the _Harbinger_. Unicron was standing in the shadows out of sight as Megatron continued, _"Now, I would normally praise whomever would launch such an attack. But you've also made a fatal mistake by taking from me my greatest enemy in Optimus Prime."_

Joshua looked to the shadowy spot where Unicron hid himself. Joshua whispered under his breath, " _I_ made the mistake?!"

Unicron, in Hotrod's body, didn't make a reply but he did stare at the Harbinger through the screen. He listened to the voice of Megatron and remembered their first meeting; Megatron battered and near death and Unicron still with his gargantuan planet form. He remembered the deal that was struck between that turned Megatron into Galvatron… and the latter's subsequent rebellion. Most of all, Unicron remembered his own destruction at the hands of the Autobot whose body he'd now possessed. But Unicron wasn't about to reveal himself to his former herald. He was content to allow Joshua to entertain Megatron… for now.

" _I know you can hear me. Show yourself. Respond or suffer the consequences of your actions."_ Megatron demanded.

"I can hear you, Megatron." Joshua replied, and he opened a visual channel to see Megatron.

Megatron looked surprise but disgusted. _"What is this? A Human? You mean to tell me that a feeble Human is responsible for wiping out a city full of Autobots."_

"Not exactly, and you've no right to speak after the devastation your war left behind." Joshua bitterly claimed.

* * *

"Humans are all the same; organic, fragile, weak. You are unworthy to live in the same universe as the Cybertronian race, even less so after you took away my greatest enemy. You took Optimus Prime from me. You took ultimate victory away from me." Megatron said.

" _YOU TOOK MY PEOPLE; MY HOME… my family_. _My actions on Earth were only the beginning of my quest for vengeance."_ Joshua claimed.

Megatron senses the rage in Joshua's voice while also determining something else. "You're not from Earth, are you?"

Rather than getting a reply from Joshua, the screen abruptly cut out. The the alarms started blaring on the bridge and Silhouette said, "Megatron, that ship is powering up its weapons."

"Divert power to forward shields. Dreadwing and Clench, you're with me." Megatron said and stormed off to the bridge exit.

"What're you up to, Megatron? That Human wiped Autobot City off the face of Earth." Tarn said.

"Yes, and I intend to return the favor. No one dares take my greatest victory away from me without first suffering the consequences." Megatron snapped.

"With all due respect, this rash action you intend to take is highly illogical. We've no idea of the full capability of a vessel this size and mass." Shockwave implied.

"The transgressions of this ship is all I need to know, Shockwave. I will not let a disgusting organic being take the credit of killing Optimus Prime." Megatron snapped before storming off with Clench and Dreadwing following.

* * *

Joshua could still see the _Harbinger_ through the view screen, and he noticed three Decepticons stepping out onto the hull. He instantly recognizing one as Megatron but the other two were unknown to him. Not that it mattered in the grand scheme of things! As Joshua pondered his next move, Unicron stood silent in the shadows. He watched with interest and disgust as Megatron and the other two robots prepared to launch from the _Harbinger_.

" **They mean to attack us."** Unicron surmised.

"That's suicidal even for Decepticons." Joshua replied.

Unicron stepped out of the shadows and said, **"Then grant their desire. Send them to oblivion."**

* * *

Standing atop the _Harbinger's_ , Megatron cocked his fusion cannon and prepared to launch his attack. Dreadwing and Clench appeared more hesitant to follow his lead. Both took in the sheer size of the titan ship. They also considered to amount of firepower it had to have to level Autobot City. Megatron didn't appear to care and launched from the hull, transforming mid- flight and jetting straight ahead. Again, Dreadwing and Clench were hesitant but they too launched and transformed to join their leader.

Megatron closed the distance fast and hard. Once in range, he opened fire on the titan's hull. Aside from a few scorch marks, no significant damage was done. Megatron flew past the titan and then started to bank back, while Clench and Dreadwing fired on the ship. Like Megatron, the left no more than a series of scorch marks. Megatron came back and fired more shots, but the result was the same. He transformed and deployed his mace before landing the hull of the titan.

He swung his mace straight down into the steel, finally leaving a noticeable dent into the armor. Dreadwing and Clench continued to perform hit-and-run attacks as Megatron pounded his mace into the armor. He landed a hard strike and finally punctured a hole into the armor before directing Clench and Dreadwing to attack. The two flyers unloaded their respective arsenals while Megatron took flight and joined them in the assault. But then the titan reacted.

The titan armed its own weapons and aimed for the _Harbinger_. It fired a single laser just above the bow of the _Harbinger_ , obstinately as a warning shot. The _Harbinger_ moved hard to starboard to avoid another attack, but the next blast struck its port side. Inside the ship, the occupants were shaken and thrown to the floor. Shockwave recovered and got back into the Captain's chair.

"Damage report…"

"Port side has suffered a direct hit and we've got a hull breach." Silhouette replied.

"Divert power to forward shields. Skullcrusher, return fire." Shockwave said.

"Finally, something to shoot."

The _Harbinger_ armed its weapons and returned fire on the titan ship, landing several blows to the hull. Megatron and company focused their efforts on the blast points, seemingly finally doing some damage. Not long after, Devastator and Bruticus emerged from the _Harbinger_ and went on the attack. They dropped onto the hull and tore into it. The the titan ship sent an electrical current across the hull. Devastator took off from the hull before being struck, but Bruticus took the current across his feet.

The combiner dropped to his left as another came his way. He took it before taking flight once more and regrouped with Devastator. The titan took another shot at the _Harbinger_ and struck its port side once more. Devastator and Bruticus took point and fired at the titan, while Megatron, Dreadwing and Clench joined in the assault. The titan then moved its tail-like weapon into position and fired.

Megatron, Dreadwing and Clench moved out of the way, but Devastator and Bruticus were caught in the blast and vaporized instantly. There was nearly nothing left of the two combiners, much to the disbelief of Megatron. The titan then refocused its attack on the _Harbinger_ and landed another blast. The _Harbinger_ started listing while inside, the Decepticons were struggling to keep the ship together.

* * *

"Shields down 33%." Silhouette reported.

"We're listing to our port side. Weapons offline." Skullcrusher added.

"Reroute nonessential systems to starboard thrusters." Shockwave commanded.

Another blast from the titan ship rocked, and a small explosion set the bridge ablaze. "Shields down to 26%. Make that 18%." Silhouette said.

"The ship's being torn apart, Shockwave. Order an evacuation." Tarn said.

"We're not going to make, Tarn. We've gotta get out of here." Off Road shouted just before an explosion engulfed and ripped him to shreds.

"Tarn, Off Road's gone." Knock Out shouted before a support impaled him into a wall.

"Shockwave, sound the evacuation." Tarn bellowed.

"Shields are down to 5%. We're not going to make it." Silhouette said as loud as she could manage.

"All hands, abandon ship! Repeat; all hands, abandon…" Shockwave never finished.

* * *

Megatron watched in shock as the _Harbinger_ exploded and sent debris flying everywhere. He and Clench and Dreadwing moved to avoid the debris but one piece collided with Megatron, knocking him seemingly offline. Before they could react, both Clench and Dreadwing were vaporized by the titan ship. The titan ship finally ceased its assault and from within the ship, Joshua surveyed the scene. Unicron finally emerged from the shadows and noticed the seemingly lifeless frame of Megatron floating amongst the debris. Before either could act, the ship's alarms blared and Joshua checked the console.

"We've sustained considerable damage. We'll have to set down somewhere to make repairs." Joshua said.

Unicron maintained his patience and composure when asking, **"How long do you need to repair this vessel?"**

"I need at least a couple of hours to make the necessary repairs. But like I said, I have to set the ship down somewhere first. I can't make the repairs from in here." Joshua explained.

" **Do what you must."** Unicron said before stepping back into shadows.

"Luckily for us, there is an uninhabited jungle-like world in our vicinity. It shouldn't take long to get there in the ship's current state." Joshua added.

" **I am patient."** Unicron replied just as he seemed to grimace ever so slightly.

 _((Hotrod still had some control over his inner self, enough to face down the physical manifestation of Unicron standing before him. But his body, his outwardly physical form, was under the control of the otherwise disembodied Chaos Bringer. That fact didn't stop Unicron from staring at Hotrod. Nor did it stop Unicron from suddenly unleashing a violent blast of dark energy on Hotrod. Hotrod screamed in pain and agony before Unicron ceased his attack._

 _Afforded only a moment of reprieve, Hotrod surprising chuckled and asked, "Is that all you got, Unicron?"_

 _Unicron cocked his horned head before replying,_ _ **"Your defiance is admirable but pointless. Your corporeal form remains mine to control as I see fit."**_

" _You think hiding in my body is going to make a difference? I guess my destroying your old one ticked you off more than you'd want to admit." Hotrod claimed with a wry smirk._

 _Unicron disappeared and reappeared right behind Hotrod, even grasping the top of his head._ _ **"Believe what you will, child. You are simply a means to an end; I shall finish what I began by eradicating Cybertron itself. Then, I shall eradicate the planet Earth and then the rest of this wretched universe. All shall return to the void as it should be."**_

 _Hotrod remained defiant as he boldly declared, "You won't win, Unicron. You were beaten before and you'll be beaten again. Optimus Prime will see to that."_

" _ **A moot point, boy. I am Cybertron's ultimate doom. All shall suffer, all shall burn… including Optimus Prime."**_ _))_

"Unicron," Joshua called out, snapping Unicron back to reality. "Did you hear what I said? I've found a planet near our current location. Coordinates have already been locked."

Gathering himself, Unicron replied, **"Make it so."**

The titan ship gunned its massive engines, one of which sputtered, before it took off in a specific direction. All the remained was the debris left behind by the destruction of the _Harbinger_. The seemingly lifeless frame of Megatron floated amongst the debris. A short distance away, a chunk of debris was blasted away and Shockwave emerged from hiding. He floated over to Megatron and checked on him.

"Lord Megatron… can you hear me?" Shockwave said.

After a few moments of inactivity, Megatron burst back to life and acted as if he were still in battle. He stopped once he saw Shockwave and said, "Shockwave? What happened; where's my ship?"

"The _Harbinger_ has been destroyed. We are all that is left." Shockwave said.

Megatron looked around at the debris and seethed at the end result. "Where did that ship go?"

Shockwave scanned the immediate area until he noticed a vapor trail going in a specific direction. "It would appear that the ship is traveling toward a potentially uninhabited planet within this sector of space."

"Then that is where we are going." Megatron said and he started that way.

"That is highly…" Shockwave said.

"Spare me your tired argument of logic, Shockwave. This new foe has taken my ship, my crew and Optimus Prime. This has become very, very personal."

Without waiting for Shockwave's retort, Megatron transformed to his space craft form and bolted after the titan ship. Shockwave remained to study the remains of the _Harbinger_ , but he didn't expect to find any other survivors. Hope was hardly a factor. Shockwave didn't believe in hope, for logic was his muse. He did know one thing; Megatron's obsession with exacting revenge against the titan ship was going to be undoing. It happened once with Thunderwing and Megatron was going down that same path to ruin. Shockwave knew something needed to be done but for now, he transformed to his space craft formed and jetted after Megatron.

* * *

Optimus Prime stared out into the vastness of space, the infinite void proving to be a peaceful distraction from everything that had happened so recently ago. But Optimus wasn't entirely at peace. His thoughts trailed all the way back to Earth… back to the attack of the titan that leveled Autobot City and killed many of his friends. He thought of Elita One, his spark mate. Images of her sudden death played back over and over again in his head, and he was next to powerless to save her.

As Optimus Prime ponder what could've been, Primal approached him with a silent step. The leader of the group called Maximals stood next to the leader of the Autobots and said nothing, and Optimus Prime made no attempts to respond to his presence. They simply stood in silence, staring out into the infinity of space and the trillions upon trillions of shining stars. After a long while, Primal finally broke the silence.

"It's beautiful, isn't it? It makes one forget about all the craziness out there."

"Indeed it does. Even with all that's happened recently, gazing upon the stars grants a much needed reprieve. Elita One would've welcomed a moment like this." Optimus Prime said.

Primal measured his next response as he said, "I never got the chance to say it, but I'm sorry for your losses on Earth… especially Elita One. We might've had much to discuss."

Optimus Prime bowed his head almost in shame as he said, "I failed her, Primal. I failed the Autobots who relied on me to lead them. They trusted me and I failed them."

"I don't believe that," Primal replied, drawing Optimus Prime's attention. "When war broke out on Cybertron, I took on the responsibility of leading the refugees of the _Alchemor_ to a better life. But I was young and I didn't know the first thing about being a leader."

"But you did eventually gained their trust." Optimus Prime assumed.

"I took a lot of inspiration from you. Every Maximal on this ship considers you a legend and I try to lead by your example. It did take time but, yeah, I earned the trust of my crew. I know you may feel helpless now, but I also know you won't give up so easily." Primal said.

For the first time since leaving Earth, Optimus Prime felt uplifted. "You are wise beyond your stellar cycles, Primal. The Maximals are lucky to have you to lead them."

"The same can be said of the Autobots having you. Whatever challenges lay ahead, we can face them together." Primal said just as the intercom buzzed out.

" _Rhinox to Primal…"_

"Primal here. What is it, Rhinox?"

" _Night Scream just picked up an energon spike emanating from within the Sol System. According to his instruments, it's big."_

"How big?"

" _Big! You might want to come see for yourself."_ Rhinox replied.

"We're on our way," Primal said before turning to Optimus Prime. "Looks like we've got business. How do you want to handle it, Optimus?"

"This is your ship, Primal. I'll follow your lead." Optimus Prime replied.

* * *

The atmosphere on the bridge of the _Alchemor_ wasn't nearly as tense as Primal and Optimus Prime expected. There was a small measure of tension but not enough to warrant concern. Optimus Prime halted just near the Captain's chair while Primal approached Rhinox and Night Scream. It occurred to Optimus that he'd never seen Primal occupy the chair. Maybe he preferred to be next to his Maximals rather than sitting back and barking orders.

Optimus Prime looked around the bridge at his fellow Autobots, most of whom kept busy with whatever tasks they could find. He then gazed at the duo of Sky-Byte and Waspinator. They barely interacted with anyone and there was genuine suspicion about them. They needed to be watched closely. For now, Optimus Prime shifted his attention to Primal.

"Are you sure these readings are accurate, Rhinox?" Primal asked.

"There's still a good deal of radiation bleed, white noise. But the long range scanners indicate a massive energon spike within the Sol System." Rhinox explained.

"Can you pinpoint the exact epicenter of the spike?" Primal suggested.

"I've been doing just that but the read outs don't make sense. They keep indicating the rings of Saturn as the point of origin." Night Scream said.

Optimus Prime approached Primal, seemingly taking a sudden interest in the read outs. "Is everything okay, Optimus?" Primal asked.

"Primal, I know I said this is you ship, but I think we should investigate these read outs further." Optimus claimed.

Primal glanced briefly at the read outs and then back at Optimus, asking him, "What do you expect to find out there?"

"I cannot be entirely certain but if what if the read outs are in fact accurate… if what they are detecting is what I think it is, then we absolutely must investigate." Optimus Prime stated.

"And what exactly do you think it is?" Rhinox asked.

Optimus Prime could only consider his next words and he ultimately replied, "The last hope for Cybertron."

Primal considered Optimus Prime's cryptic words and then said, "Tigatron, Cheetor, set a course for Saturn."

* * *

The _Alchemor_ shifted its course and started its trek to Saturn. After that, the mysterious ship that had shadowed the _Alchemor_ since leaving Earth also shifted its course. It followed after the _Alchemor_ but kept a reasonable distance away from it. Inside of the ship, the lone occupant studied a monitor that was transmitting in real time.

"So the _Alchemor_ has shifted course towards Saturn," he said and paused for the next reply. "What are they after," he asked, then came another reply. "You're my optics and audio receptors on that ship. Keep me posted of any changes."

After cutting the transmission, the occupant opened a video screen and a shadowy figure appeared. _"Yes?"_

"The _Alchemor_ is taking a detour to Saturn for some reason. I'm following it now."

" _Do what you must but remember, I want the Maximals alive."_ the mysterious called said.

The ship's occupant lurched forward, revealing red optics and black and green color scheme. "You never told me why you wanted those Maximals."

" _I'm fairly certain I explained that my reasons are my own."_

"I've got my partners on that ship feeding me intel. If the Autobots and Maximals discover them, their cover could be blown."

" _You should have more faith in your partners."_

"You should come clean about your motives. We have a contract, you and me. And contracts, much like most life forms, expire."

" _Is that a threat, Lockdown?"_ asked the mystery caller, finally addressing the occupant by name.

The robotic occupant, identified as Lockdown leaned further and coldly replied, "It's a fact. You even think about double crossing me and my partners and we'll each take turns ripping you in half."

" _Then I've nothing to worry about. Now if you'll excuse me, I've more matters to attend to."_ Then the caller cut the feed.

Lockdown leaned back into his chair and was left asking himself, "Who are you?"

* * *

Author's Note: Damn, I was really hoping to have this chapter down by Halloween. Oh well, it's done anyway and as it can be seen, I'm really not pulling any punches this time with the amount of death. The _Harbinger_ is destroyed and only Megatron and Shockwave survived, and Megatron is pissed.

Optimus Prime and Primal have a heart to heart (or is it spark to spark, I don't know) and yes, Lockdown makes his debut and he has a mysterious ally somewhere out there. Hmm...

Also, what did the _Alchamor_ crew find that's got Optimus Prime so interested? Find out next time and do leave a few reviews. Peace out!


	27. Evolution

Disclaimer: Once again, I have another finished and ready to go. As always, I don't own the rights to Transformers.

* * *

Chapter V

Sari sat in the cockpit of Brainstorm's vehicle form as they traversed the terrain of Cybertron. Scattershot and Strafe flanked Brainstorm in the air while Rattletrap traveled on the surface with Nosecone, Lightspeed and Afterburner. The trip to Iacon seemed to take longer than anticipated, but it wasn't going to be much longer as long the group stayed on course. But it didn't stop boredom from creeping into Sari. All she did since arriving to Cybertron was staring out through the canopy of Brainstorm's vehicle form. She resisted the urge to jokingly ask if they were there yet. She wasn't sure if she'd get a positive response from Brainstorm or a 'polite' request from Rattletrap to be quiet.

But then as she looked out toward the horizon, Sari noticed something. It looked like a tower of some kind, large enough to be noticeable from the distance the group was traveling. She could only barely make it out, but it appeared that the tower had a large Autobot insignia on it. The tower itself looked ancient, but there wasn't a hit of runt on it. It just appeared silent and still. Curiosity took hold of Sari and she finally decided to converse with Brainstorm about it.

"Hey Brainstorm, what's that tower off in the distance? Another Autobot City like on Earth?"

"It's a battle station from all the way back to the early times of the Great War. From what I gathered from the Hall of Records in Iacon, it helped turned the tide of numerous battles against the Decepticons." Brainstorm explained.

"Looks like it's seen better days." Sari noted.

"It was decommissioned after Sentinel Prime went rogue. I never got to see it action but from what I read, it really sent the Decepticons running. Plus it had a pretty intimidating name." Brainstorm explained.

"Wow, it had a name. What was it called?" Sari asked.

"Fortress Maximus." Brainstorm replied.

"Yep, that's pretty intimidating all right," Sari commented just as a sudden impact jolted Brainstorm. "What the…"

" _Brainstorm, you've got hostiles closing on you."_ Scattershot reported.

Sari looked through the canopy and spotted two vehicles ships closing in on the group; one was airborne and the other was ground based. The jet-like vehicle flew passed Brainstorm and Sari easily noted the Decepticon insignia on the wings. Both vehicles appeared to share the color scheme, and they were on the attack without pausing for a moment. The jet vehicle focused its attention on Brainstorm, taking several shots at him but missing the mark.

Scattershot and Strafe quickly intercepted the ship and fired at them, giving Brainstorm time to get clear. The vehicle redoubled its chase on Brainstorm and he started taking evasive action, gunning his engines and blasting off. The Decepticon ship maintained its chase while firing on Brainstorm, missing its shots but also coming dangerously close to hitting.

"Somebody get this 'Con off me!" Brainstorm shouted.

On the surface of Cybertron, Afterburner raced along and replied, "I've got you covered, Brainstorm."

Afterburner pulled to a sudden stop and transformed mid-stride. He opened fire on the jet as it flew by while chasing Brainstorm. Nosecone, Lightspeed and Rattletrap joined him and fired on the jet, but the tank roared forward and fired on them. The sudden attack scattered the Technobots before the tank opened fire on Scattershot and Strafe, clearly the way for the jet take a shot at Brainstorm. This time, the jet scored a direct hit.

Brainstorm listed to his left but managed to stay in flight, but the jet was still on him and still shooting. Scattershot banked in and fired on it, while Brainstorm spotted a large hole on the surface of Cybertron. Taking a chance, Brainstorm dipped and flew down into the hole. The jet attempted to give chase but Scattershot stopped it from doing so. The tank vehicle started firing on Scattershot, but the rest of the Technobots fired on the tank. Then the jet banked around to aid the tank but Scattershot and Strafe intercepted it. The two vehicles were eventually driven off and they retreated. The Technobots then gathered around the hole and Scattershot and Strafe landed before the hole.

"Well, that's one hole I'm not diggin' down!" Rattletrap quipped.

Ignoring Rattletrap, Scattershot attempted to make a call. "Scattershot to Brainstorm, do you read me? Brainstorm, do you read? Do you read?"

* * *

Deep beneath the surface of Cybertron, Brainstorm limped to solid steel flooring and skidded to a halt. His canopy opened and Sari jumped out before he transformed to robot mode. Brainstorm checked his left wing, seeing some damage was done but it also wasn't serious. Scattershot's voice was coming through his audio receptors but it was garbled and almost in unintelligible, but Brainstorm still tried to responded.

"Scattershot, I'm here. Can you hear me?"

 _"Just barely. Where are you? Is Sari okay?"_ Scattershot responded.

"We're okay, but I'm not sure of where we ended up." Brainstorm said.

 _"Stay where you are and we'll try to reach you."_ Scattershot replied.

"Negative. You guys keep heading for Iacon and we'll try to catch up." Brainstorm said.

 _"And what're we supposed to tell the Autobots there? That it was all Rattletrap's fault?"_

Rattletrap could be heard shouting, _"WHAT?!"_

"Uh… just tell them I sent you. Sari and I will try to meet you at Iacon. Brainstorm out."

* * *

"Alright! Be safe, you two. Scattershot out."

"So what now, Scattershot?" Lightspeed asked.

"Brainstorm wants us to continue on to Iacon, so that's what we're going to do." Scattershot said.

"No way. We've already lost too many friends and I'm no mood to lose more." Afterburner said.

"Besides, Sari and Brainstorm brought us back. We owe it to them to return the favor." Nosecone added.

"Your call, Scattershot. What's the play?" Strafe asked.

Scattershot thought about his options and then said, "Alright; Afterburner, you and Nosecone conduct a search for Brainstorm and Sari. The rest of us will continue on to Iacon and meet you there."

"You do realize you only got me to lead the way to Iacon, right, Scatterbrain?" Rattletrap mockingly asked.

"Just like you realize I could've sent only you down this hole, Rat bag. But this isn't the time to be bickering, so please get us to Iacon. Deal?" Scattershot said.

"Ugh, fine."

Nosecone and Afterburner stood over the hole, and Afterburner said, "You'd better keep up, Nosecone."

"You'd better slow down, Afterburner." Nosecone giddily replied.

Afterburner gave Nosecone a wry smirk before jumping into the hole. Nosecone followed his fellow Technobot into the hole. As soon as they were gone, the rest of the Technobots and Rattletrap all transformed and continued their trek to Iacon. Well off in the distance, the two vehicles rested and hatches opened on each one.

* * *

An individual pilot emerged from each vehicle and removed their respective helmet. The pilot of the tank vehicle appeared male, while the jet pilot was female. Both appeared Human, but they also seemed to possess Cybertronian technology… just like Sari. They exchanged glances before the male pilot pressed his fingers to an earpiece.

"This is Giga; the target has taken a refuge within the catacombs. Should we pursue?"

A voice replied, _"There'll be no need, Giga."_

The female then replied, "Mega here; what should be done about the other intruders? Should we wipe them out?"

 _"Leave the Autobots alone for the time being. The girl is the priority and if all goes as planned, she'll come to me."_

"Understood," Mega replied and cut the all. She sighed and asked Giga, "I don't understand why he wants that girl. What's so special about her anyway?"

"He created her for a reason, just as he created us. It's not our place to question his motives." Giga said.

"Spoken like a true lackey." Mega mocked Giga.

"I know my place, Mega. You should remember yours." Giga said before he climbed into the tank vehicle.

Mega only let out a deep sigh as she climbed back into her jet vehicle. _And what truly is our place, I wonder?_

* * *

Brainstorm activated a set of lights on his shoulders to illuminate the darkness of the catacomb-like area upon which they now stood. Even with some light to guide them, they had no idea where they really were. They had less of an idea of where they were going. They could only move forward. Sari felt uneasy about the catacombs. She couldn't shake the feeling that she and Brainstorm were being watched.

"Hey Brainstorm?"

"Yeah?"

"I get the feeling that we're not on Cybertron anymore." Sari claimed.

"Yeah, I've never really been down here under the surface before." Brainstorm admitted.

"So what do we do? Which way from here to Iacon?" Sari asked.

"I'm not entirely sure. Right now, our only option is just keep moving forward." Brainstorm replied.

"I'm starting think coming to Cybertron was a bad idea, even if it was to find who created me." Sari said.

"Better than the alternative of staying on Earth. We have no idea who attacked us or even if our friends survived, so we're limited in our available options. We have to keep moving like it or now." Brainstorm explained.

"Shit, this sucks." Sari commented.

* * *

The shadowy watcher was smart to keeping Giga and Mega in the dark for the time being but even, they had to be questioning his motives. Let them question him, he reasoned. They were ultimately expendable in the grand scheme of the things, and Sari was the priority. He continued to study the feed of Sari and her Autobot companion as they started moving through the darkness of their location. He briefly glanced at a holographic image of a robot, along with the images included the jet and tank vehicles. Additional screens showed the two vehicles combining into a single image that was identical to the robot image. The watcher studied the image with interest, and a smirk formed on his face.

"It won't be much longer."

* * *

Deep in the heart of a jungle-like world, a lone mechanical lion stalked its prey. The prey in question was clearly alien in nature, but it bore only the slightest resemblance to an Earth-born wildebeest. It was still alien in that it possessed six legs and three horns, but it was oblivious to the predatory machine that was stalking it. One misstep by the predator was enough to alert the prey. Before it could react, the robotic predator pounced. The act sent a flock of bird-like aliens flying into the sky above.

Some time later, Razorclaw, the leader of the Predacons, wondered into a small clearing with the carcass of his prey in his maw. But he wasn't alone. Another predator was stalking the bushes around him, waiting for a moment to strike. Razorclaw was already aware, but he played the ignorance game and feasted on the dead animal. The stalker in the bushes moved into position behind Razorclaw and was ready to pounce on its target. Then it made its move.

Razorclaw moves at the last moment, and the Predacon tiger Rampage face planted the ground. He recovered fast and stood up to Razorclaw, growling at the larger Predacon. Razorclaw retorted with a roar and then they came to blows. They collided and wrestled each other into the ground, each one trying to gain an advantage over the other. But as they fought, Divebomb watched with twisted interest.

Divebomb wanted the carcass for himself, but he was going to wait until Razorclaw and Rampage to take each other out. Something moved above Divebomb before he even noticed. Razorclaw and Rampage continued fighting over the carcass before separating. Regrouping and preparing to continue the fight, they were stopped in their tracks by the sudden arrival of Blackarachnia. She hissed at the two Predacons and they growled in response. Then, she transformed into robot form and stood between Razorclaw and Rampage.

"How many times have told you two to share your food?" she asked.

Razorclaw let out a ravenous growl before shockingly transforming in his own robotic form. "Rampage should've remembered that this is my hunting territory. He has no place here."

Rampage then transformed into his own robotic form and replied, "Last I checked, this wasn't your designated territory by name. Remember when Tantrum came around?"

"I made sure Tantrum knew his place on the food chain, Rampage. I can easily do the to you or Headstrong." Razorclaw claimed.

"Then why don't you try, Razorclaw?"

"That's enough. I didn't spade the past few stellar cycles teaching you how to speak and transform just so you could fight it out over food." Blackarachnia said.

"I don't know, Blackarachnia," Divebomb said, dropping from his perch and transforming to robot form. "Watching these two try to tear into each other is much more fun than hunting for food."

"You think it'll still be funny when I rip your wings off, Divebomb?" Rampage wondered as he stalked toward Divebomb.

"You can certainly try, Rampage." Divebomb replied just as the quartet heard a loud booming noise.

They looked up toward the sky to see the source of the noise. Something was coming down, a trail of smoke following in its wake. Divebomb transformed back to his eagle form and flew into the air. From above, he managed to get a good look at the object as it descended from the sky. It seemed to disappear into the jungles some distance from where the Predacons were standing.

"What do you see, Divebomb?" Razorclaw asked.

"Looks like whatever that thing was came down several miles away from where Headstrong usually hangs out." Divebomb replied.

Considering his options, Razorclaw decided to contact Headstrong, "Headstrong, do you read me?"

After a long silence from the other side, Headstrong finally replied, _"What do you want, Razorclaw?"_

"Something landed near your location. Check out it." Razorclaw said.

 _"I'll go when I'm good and ready."_ Headstrong replied.

"You'll go now or I'll take you head off later. Tantrum will meet you there and the rest of us will catch up." Razorclaw said.

 _"Fine. Headstrong out."_

"Lazy bear bot," Razorclaw whispered before making his next call to Tantrum. "Tantrum, are you there?"

 _"Heh, heh, heh! Tantrum here, Razorclaw. Something took a tumble from up above. Was it Divebomb?"_ Tantrum gigglingly asked.

Razorclaw glanced at the shrugging Divebomb before he replied, "Headstrong checking out that object that came down. You're going to meet up with him while we catch up."

 _"Sounds fun. Can't wait to tear into our new arrival."_ Tantrum gleefully claimed.

"No, Tantrum. Don't do anything crazy until we get there. Razorclaw out."

"Sometimes, I worry about Tantrum, Razorclaw." Divebomb said.

"I don't." Rampage said.

Ignoring the banter between his two fellow Predacons, Razorclaw turned his attention to Blackarachnia and asked, "What do you think we'll encounter out there, Blackarachnia?"

"We won't know until we get there, Razorclaw. Something tells me whatever it is won't be friendly."

Razorclaw sighed and called, "Predacons: Beast Mode."

Razorclaw transformed first, assuming his lion form. He let out a roar before bounding away into the jungle. Rampage assumed his tiger form and went off after his leader, and Divebomb assumed his eagle form and followed from above. Blackarachnia was left behind to consider what the Predacons would find. Setting trepidation aside, she assumed her spider form and followed the rest of the Predacons.

* * *

 _((Hotrod stood in the darkness, seemingly alone but not really alone. Unicron was there, lurking in the darkness and making Hotrod wait for his next appearance. At the same time, Hotrod was made to see what was happening in the real world. He recognized the jungle planet that the titan ship on. He had to know that Blackarachnia and the Predacons were there, and they likely would've been interested in the goings on._

 _ **"You know this planet, boy."** Unicron said, suddenly appearing behind Hotrod._

 _"What does it matter to you?" Hotrod defiantly asked._

 _ **"It matters not, as this shall be another world to be eradicated. But the machines that roam it… these Predacons…"** Unicron trailed off seemingly by design._

 _Hotrod instantly snapped, "You need to leave them alone. They've done nothing to you."_

 _Unicron reappeared right in front of Hotrod, coming face to face with him. **"They insult me with their mere existence, as does all that exists in this wretched universe."**_

 _"They will fight if you provoke them, Unicron." Hotrod declared._

 _Unicron inched closer and said to Hotrod, **"But it is not I that shall provoke them."**_

 _"What?" Hotrod wondered before Unicron grabbed his head.))_

Back in reality, Hotrod's still possessed body doubled over in agony. He gripped the sides of his head and dropped to his knees. He screamed in pain and his own voice rather than that of Unicron, so Hotrod might have still had some control. It just felt like it wasn't enough, and it didn't stop whatever was being done. Then, Hotrod looked down at his hands as they began changing.

It wasn't anything like a typical transformation to an alternate form. It appeared like Hotrod was being forcibly changed from the inside. He knew it when he witnessed the tips of his fingers becoming pointed. He then saw his usual red and orange colors becoming darker, the flaming paint shifting as if it had a mind of its own. This was all Unicron, reshaping Hotrod to his liking. Hotrod tried to fight it, but his colors turned from red and orange to black and purple.

The rate of change was an agonizing turn that Hotrod couldn't fathom let alone control. His body grew larger while it was contorting and becoming something twisted and sinister. Every smooth surface became jagged and warped while the new black and purple colors wiped away the old red and orange. Hotrod couldn't fight anymore and he screamed in protest, only for his voice to deepen to that of the Chaos Bringer. Despite the changes, Hotrod still loudly protested against Unicron… and it was ultimately to no such avail.

* * *

Author's Note: That put an end to the latest chapter and yes, there was a lot going on. Brainstorm and Sari get separated from the Technobots by the arrival of Giga and Mega... in their respective tank and jet vehicles. Hint, hint... There's the first name drop of Fortress Maximus. Will he appear or won't he? More importantly, will he fight?

Then, you asked for it... I think you did... but yeah, it's the return of Blackarachnia and the Predacons. Yes, the Predacons can now speak and can transform. Finally, Hotrod is being further altered by Unicron. That's it so check it out and leave a few reviews and I shall return. Happy Thanksgiving.


End file.
